"Mike MacArthur is a monstrous player! He's very spontaneous, especially on bop tunes reminiscent of the Parker era and after. I love working with such an accomplished musician!" The words of singer Diane Schuur.
That's just one of the many testimonials that Mike MacArthur has earned over the years. At the age of 32, it says a lot of a musician who, because of his accomplished and seasoned chops, sounds as if he were, quite frankly, twice his age. When you watch him perform, he's in total control. The confidence, the enthusiasm, the attentiveness and leadership that he represents as a bandleader are rare. And I don't care how good a musician is. To combine all these elements, especially as an instrumentalist, it becomes just as appealing as the music itself! And when you watch and listen to the rest of his band, you can tell that it's contagious.
Born in upstate New York, Mike attended The Manhattan School Of Music as well as Florida State University after leaving high school. One of his accomplishments includes "Best Young Jazz Instrumentalist" in Downbeat Magazine's Student Music Awards in 1993, which is quite an honor. He toured the globe with Maynard Ferguson, but has also shared the stage with the likes of Diane Schuur, Mary Wilson & The Supremes, Rick Derringer, and countless others. Now living here in Tampa Bay, it's a pleasure to be able to catch Mike and his group on a regular basis.
The title song heats up the recording with a "modern day old school flavor" twist (ala "Tower Of Power" ). Up tempo, funky, horns a plenty. It's also reminiscent of the two years he spent with Maynard Ferguson as his primary tenor saxophonist. So much energy. Any musician can show energy, but to do it with precision, a clean tone, and a keen perception for timing, makes it extra special.
Track 2, "Paradise Point," starts out as the perfect song to listen to while on a raft in your pool, relaxing on a bright and sunny day. All of a sudden, it gets so hot that you have to take a dip in the water to cool off. Talk about a build-up!
This recording features a unique set of cover tunes that include Steely Dan's "Peg," which features a guitar solo by none other than Rick Derringer. Stanley Turrentine's classic "Sugar" is a nice change of pace with it's "straight-ahead" feel. Lennon and McCartney's "With A Little Help From My Friends" is spiced up with funky drum licks from Dave Reinhardt. His brother, Ron, sweetens up Carmichael's "Georgia" with that one-of-a-kind sound of the Hammond B-3 organ.
But one of my favorites has to be the MacArthur original "Love At The Penny," which features Mike trading leads with Ron's Hammond B-3 once again. It's just downright "BAD!" There's no mistaking who the recording belongs to. Mike is all over this record. With guitarist Peter Mongaya rounding out the rhythm section, the horn section featuring Jon Reid, Scott Meyers, and Mike Gibilisco, and vocals by Danielle MacArthur, Jen Reinhardt, and last (but not least), Pee-Wee Trumbach, it's living proof that Mike MacArthur has always had a knack for surrounding himself with exceptional musicians, all of whom have the same desire as he does to perform brilliantly.
I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mike for several years. Take it from me, he and his entire band have put their heart and soul into this project. It's a lot of fun to listen to. With an impressive balance of cover songs and originals that swing you from Jazz to Funk to R&B and Straight-Ahead, it's a bona fide hit. And "that's what I'm talkin 'bout!"
