DON MARKESE

Fra Noi magazine, "Chicagoland's Italian American Voice". Music Industry Dynamo Don Markese

April 2023 issue

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CHIRP Radio, Best of 2021: Steven Grady

Steve's #4 pick for 2021: "SPIRIT FLOWS" by Don Markese

Review:  "Veteran multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist Don Markese’s Spirit Flows is a powerful aural autobiography of sorts. The Midwestern-bred musician recently returned “home” to his pastoral family farm from Los Angeles, where he spent the majority of his adult life as a professional musician. Spirit Flows is a diary of instantly memorable heartfelt selections reflecting Markese’s present domicile, which reflects a Native American presence.

Markese dedicated Spirit Flows to his late friend, Steve O’Donnell, who hand-crafted the very native-American flutes that Markese expertly plays on this wonderful album."

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Jazz Weekly review, "The Markese-Fumo Express: File Under Kool", by George Harris, 8/10/2020:

"Vintage cool sounds of the 50s and 60s when it was hip to be hep are captured by the duet of John Fumo on trumpet/flugelhorn and Don Markese, who plays just about every woodwind in the musical canon. The two supply the bass, keys and drum tracks with the exception of Ed Smith on the sticks for the muted “The Mood Within”. Fumo gives a Blue Note Miles tone to the relaxed and spacious “Gilman’s Strut” and is in a Blue and Green mood for “When I Think Of You”. The horns are warm on the gorgeous “Quiet Colors” and a dash of Davis’ In A Silent Way gets the team into dark territory for “Without A Word” and “What Was That?!!”. Markese’s baritone teams with Fumo for a California Cool “The Baker’s Mulligan” and they show they can go outside the lines as well with a peaceful “Ornette’s Kitchen” mixing the shape of jazz to come with modern musings. Markese taps into vintage Coltrane on the bluesy “Traneosity” and the team gets funky for “Mr. Kool”. A wide range of colors and moods make this a clever melding of colors and sounds. A tasty smorgasbord."  

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CHIRP Radio Best of 2020: Steven Grady

Steve's #1 pick for 2020: "FILE UNDER KOOL" by the Markese-Fumo Express​Review:  "

An unforgettably addictive and inventive homage to 20th Century modern jazz legends performed by the most versatile multi-instrumentalist Don Markese and venerable trumpet master John Fumo. This record never gets old and I hear something new each time I play it."

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