Dave Mac Nab: Dave Mac Nab

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: January 1, 1999

Now living in the San Francisco Bay area, guitarist Dave Mac Nab has a busy professional career that includes a handful of recordings as leader as well as work with the acid jazz band Funkbone, blues man Charlie Musselwhite, Chuck Sher’s Latin ensemble, and young lion organist Larry Goldings. Mac Nab, who composed each of the tracks on his eponymous album, attended the highly-regarded Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles and holds a degree in music from Sonoma State University.

Largely dramatic, the session includes extensive improvisation from soloists Mac Nab, Eric Crystal, and Jeff Chimenti. From the happy beat of "A’roma Twist," to the placid overlapping tones of "It Will Come To Me" the band’s modern mainstream character offers a lot of variety. Allowing plenty of time for improvisation, Mac Nab has provided a framework that works; the tracks average 9 minutes in length. "Ascending" begins with a simple idea and finds each soloist implementing it in his own way. Cellist Elliot Humberto Kavee waltzes sadly while saxophonist Crystal pumps fluid pressure and Mac Nab expands into exotic realms. The band highlights its improvising soloists while maintaining a cohesive sense of direction. Recommended.

Track Listing: Nebula; Sir Ferguson

Personnel: Dave Mac Nab- guitars; Elliot Humberto Kavee- drums, cello on "Ascending"; Hillel Familant- bass; Eric Crystal- tenor saxophone; Jeff Chimenti- piano.

Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream