Kirk MacDonald Bernd Reiter Sextet

It was a great pleasure and an honour to be involved in this project celebrating two of the most iconic and influential figures in modern music. In the summer of 2024, drummer and close friend Bernd Reiter told me he was assembling an international all star group to tour Europe in celebration of the centenaries of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

The tour took place in the fall of 2025 with ten concerts in October across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France, culminating in a live recording at Le Vauban in Brest, France. The sextet featured leading musicians from their respective countries: Joe Magnarelli (trumpet, flugelhorn) from New York; Oliver Kent (piano) from Vienna; three musicians from Toronto—clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, bassist Neil Swainson, and myself on saxophone—and Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter. As we are all well versed in the music of Miles and Trane, we drew from a large repertoire that often changed from night to night. This recording gives equal representation to the music of both celebrated artists.

This is my second time performing and participating in a live recording at Le Vauban (the first was in May 2023 with The Canadian Jazz Collective—Live at Le Vauban on Fresh Sound Records).

A big thank you to Jacques Person and his team for making this possible. The hospitality in Brest and the appreciative audience at Le Vauban created a wonderful, welcoming environment and helped make this a truly memorable experience.

Special thanks to Jordi Pujol of Fresh Sound Records; the musicians – Joe, Virginia, Oliver, Neil and Bernd; André White, Phil Cabon, Guy Chuiton and Hervé Le Gall. A very special thank you to the late great Miles Davis and John Coltrane for providing us all with a lifetime of inspiration.

— Kirk MacDonald, April 2026

Press reviews

I am very fortunate to call Jacques Person, the impresario of Jazz at Le Vauban in Brest, a true friend. I first met him in Paris in 2017, came to play at his iconic venue in 2018, and have had the pleasure of being around him many more times through the years!

Jacques is a true jazz lover and supporter, he invited me back to Le Vauban on various occasions and produced several live-recordings there. This album is another one in that series – done in Brest at a sold out concert on a wonderful Sunday evening in October 2025!

This show was the final hit of a two-week tour, celebrating the 100th birthday of Miles Davis and John Coltrane – ‘Miles & Trane Centennial’ -with a truly great band from the US, Canada and Austria: Joe Magnarelli from NY, Virginia MacDonald, Kirk MacDonald and Neil Swainson from Toronto and Oliver Kent from Vienna (who I first met when I was 13)! The band was in great shape and spirit after two weeks on the road; and Jacques’ hospitality with fantastic food and wine plus the enthusiastic audience made Le Vauban just perfect to end our journey!

Very happy and thankful to have been part of this concert and recording!

—Bernd Reiter, April 2026