Laura Margaret Macdonald (born 17 July 1974, Glasgow) is a Scottish alto and soprano saxophonist, composer and teacher, specialising in jazz.
She attended Prestwick Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, before moving to Boston, Massachusetts to study at the Berklee College of Music. [1] She began to play the saxophone at the relatively late age of 16, after disowning the violin. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1998, and is now based in Scotland, working as a music instructor for South Lanarkshire Council. [2] [3]
She has worked with many jazz musicians including Tommy Smith (to whom she was once married), drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, bassist James Genus, pianist David Budway, Guy Barker and Jason Rebello, and has made many appearances at notable jazz events, including the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. In addition, she is a prominent player within the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. Moreover, she has worked alongside legendary non-jazz specialist John McCrory.
Her recordings include the eponymous Laura in 2001 featuring David Budway (piano), James Genus (bass) and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums); and Awakenings [4] in 2003 with the Laura Macdonald Sextet: Steve Hamilton (piano), Donny McCaslin (tenor saxophone and flute), Gildas Boclé (bass), Claus Stoetter (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Antonio Sanchez (drums). [3]
Macdonald appeared on the 2021 series of Masterchef on the BBC. [5]
Thomas William Ellis Smith is a Scottish jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator.
It's Not About the Melody is a 1992 studio album by the American jazz singer Betty Carter.
Black Codes is an album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis that won two Grammy Awards in 1985: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group and Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist.
Two Blocks from the Edge is Michael Brecker's fifth album as a leader. It was recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City. It was recorded in 1998.
The Branford Marsalis Quartet is a jazz band.
Eternal is an album by saxophonist Branford Marsalis recorded at Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, New York in October 2003. It peaked at number 9 on the Top Jazz Albums chart.
Quartet is a live album by McCoy Tyner released on his McCoy Tyner Music label in 2007. It was recorded in December 2006 at Yoshi's in Oakland, California and features performances by Tyner with tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque. From 1992 to 1995 he led the Tonight Show Band.
Wynton Marsalis is the debut album by the jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. It was released in 1982 by Columbia. It contains seven tracks, three composed by Marsalis. The album peaked at number 165 on the Billboard 200 and number nine on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Warren Wolf Jr. is an American jazz vibraphonist from Baltimore, Maryland.
Underground is a 1997 album by the English saxophonist, Courtney Pine. It was released on the Verve label. It features elements of hip-hop integrated with jazz.
Moving Pictures is the debut album led by saxophonist Ravi Coltrane which was recorded in 1997 and released on the RCA/BMG label.
Live at Jazz Standard is an album by the Mingus Big Band that won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2011. The album documents a concert at the Jazz Standard club in New York City on New Year's Eve, 2009. The concert and the album commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of songs recorded by Charles Mingus. The band was conducted by Gunther Schuller and included trumpeter Randy Brecker, who played with Mingus during the 1970s.
Trio Jeepy is a jazz album featuring saxophonist Branford Marsalis leading a trio that included notable bassist Milt Hinton. It was recorded January 3–4, 1988 at Astoria Studios in New York, New York. It peaked at number 3 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group.
Crazy People Music is a jazz album featuring the Branford Marsalis Quartet, led by saxophonist Branford Marsalis and featuring Kenny Kirkland, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Robert Hurst. It was recorded January 10, February 18, and March 1, 1990 at RCA Studios in New York, New York. It peaked at number 3 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist.
I Heard You Twice the First Time is a jazz album by Branford Marsalis that explores different aspects of the blues, featuring guest appearances from B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Russell Malone, Wynton Marsalis and Linda Hopkins. It peaked at number 1 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group.
Romare Bearden Revealed is a jazz album by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, featuring Branford Marsalis, Eric Revis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Joey Calderazzo, with guest appearances by Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Doug Wamble, Reginald Veal, and other members of the Marsalis family. The album, which was recorded June 23–25, 2003 at Clinton Studios in New York, New York, was recorded in celebration of a retrospective exhibit of the art of Romare Bearden which opened at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and subsequently traveled to San Francisco, Dallas, New York and Atlanta in 2004 and 2005. The album recorded jazz tunes whose names Bearden had used for paintings as well as original compositions.
Melissa Aldana is a Chilean tenor saxophone player, who performs both as a soloist and with her band Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio.
From Now On is an album by saxophonist Sonny Fortune which was recorded in 1996 and released on the Blue Note label.
Songbook is the eighth studio album by Kenny Garrett, released in 1997 by Warner Bros. Records. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance. It features Garrett in a quartet consisting of pianist Kenny Kirkland and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and bassist Nat Reeves.