Al MacDowell

A onetime member of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, Al MacDowell is among the generation of bassists strongly influenced by the Stanley Clarke/Jaco Pastorius school, which emphasizes playing the electric bass like a lead guitar rather than a rhythm instrument. MacDowell is capable of booming, rapid-fire licks, flickering riffs, and sizzling rhythms. As a leader, however, his albums have been erratic, due mainly to compositional defects, though occasional songs reflect his sizable playing prowess. ~ Ron Wynn