Brothers riff on music, politics

By Frank Delgado
The Collegian

It’s a winter evening at Fresno State’s concert hall and the crowd is abuzz.

The university’s jazz bands have just finished their sets and the air hums with the chatter of satisfied spectators. Audience members and musicians exchange handshakes, hugs, and words of praise.

Brothers Josh and Kevin McDonald, both members of Jazz Band “A,” enjoy congratulations from a long, single-file line of well-wishers. One jazz supporter makes a connection when shaking the bass-playing brother’s hand.

“Now, you’re not the same Kevin McDonald that’s from the radio, are you?” the man asks, recognizing Kevin’s name from the campus station’s signature jazz lineup.

Kevin answers with a smile and a nod, taking the opportunity to introduce his brother.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Kevin says, “and this is my brother Josh. You know, J-Mac.”

“No way!” the man says, shaking Josh’s hand enthusiastically. “You’re J-Mac, huh? I hear your program every week!”

The man leans toward the woman next to him in line. “Hey, you wait and see,” he tells her. “These fellas are going to make it big. They’re on the radio and they’re in the jazz band.”

“We’re certainly hoping so,” Josh says, thanking the man.

“Yeah, why else would we get up so early in the morning?” Kevin says.

A while later, after the crowd has filed out, the McDonald brothers pack up their musical instruments and quietly head into the chilly November night.

There’s little time to revel in the night’s kudos. Kevin started his day before the sun came up, and in less than eight hours, he’ll be back on campus to host his 6 a.m. radio show on KFSR-FM 90.7. Josh will also have to wake up just as early, to practice.

“Hey, this is the life of the modern jazz-man,” Kevin jokes, warming up his car in a deserted parking lot and finally motoring home.

The McDonald brothers make a unique duo. It’s not just they’re both members of Jazz Band “A,” or even that they both hold DJ gigs at the university radio station. What sets them apart might be the sheer number of activities that each brother actively participates in — from music to campus politics — usually together.

First, consider the bands. In addition to Jazz Band “A,” the McDonalds play in an unnamed trio of vibes, bass and trumpet. They also play in a quartet and sometimes a quintet called Jazz wit’ Da Boyz. Also, they play with the Caitlin Doyle Jazz Collective and with Jorge Espinoza and His Young Lions and sometimes they even play as a duo.

Josh also plays “semi-regularly” in a brass quintet, and he recently finished a two-year tenure with the local group Swiggleby McFrittz.

Leonard Bedoian, the third member of the McDonald brothers’ unnamed trio, has heard the brothers’ progression both on stage and on the radio.

“These guys are students of their craft,” Bedoian said. “Whatever they take on, whether it’s jazz music, or radio or politics, they do it with a humble heart and put everything they can into it, and they enjoy it completely.”

This past October marked the five-year anniversary of Josh’s morning show on KFSR, “Jazz With J-Mac.” He walked in to the station in fall 2002, his first semester on campus, and asked station manager Joe Moore if he could be on the air.

“I listened in high school, and I wanted the chance to take on a show and expose people to music I thought was aesthetically brilliant,” Josh said. “It’s been fun and games ever since.”

Three years later, younger brother Kevin would follow in Josh’s footsteps and step into the DJ booth. Kevin was excited, but had reservations.

“I was concerned that I would be stepping on Josh’s toes,” Kevin said, “not in any angle of competition, but that by being a DJ, I would tread on a facet of his personality.”

“I let him know what I was feeling, and he told me he that this was another beautiful opportunity for us to share together,” Kevin said.

Hosting a radio show directly impacted the lives of both McDonald brothers, something neither of them expected.

“Being a DJ has increased my verbal fluency at gigs, which is key if you’re going to connect with your audience,” Josh said. “I didn’t realize how it would affect my on-stage confidence, but it has changed the dynamics completely.”

Many of those who’ve seen the brothers perform agree.

Fellow bandmate Caitlin Doyle said, “There’s definitely been a change in the way these guys present themselves onstage. Not that they weren’t already confident in their ability, but I think that it’s brought out a different level of confidence.”

Now, consider the McDonald brothers’ lives beyond the stage.

After being encouraged by a professor, Josh interned for City Councilman Brian Calhoun in 2002 and was later hired as a staff assistant.

“We hired him the day that he came in for his interview,” said Ann B. Kloose, one of Calhoun’s council assistants. “I think this experience has inspired something inside of him.”

Calhoun’s Web site praises Josh’s involvement in both public service and jazz music, nothing that when he’s not serving District 2 and its constituents, he is a three-time player in the Collegiate Honor Jazz Band and has performed at Carnegie Hall.

Both brothers also currently serve as senators for the Associated Students. Josh is the senator for the College of Arts and Humanities and Kevin is an at-large senator for Parking and Safety.

Kevin is currently working on a series of projects to increase student safety and educate students on alternative transportation. Josh has been working on a project of uniting the promotions efforts of the many campus departments and programs involved with the arts.

AS President Juan Pablo Moncayo enjoys working with the brothers and acknowledged their contribution to the university as senators.

“Both of them are naturals for the position,” Moncayo said. “They’ve got a very relaxed and confident way of approaching the tasks at hand and have been extremely proactive.”

Clubs and Organizations senator Esmeralda Santos agreed.

“Having two brothers as senators might seem like a bad idea to some people, because sometimes they can be very competitive,” Santos said. “[But] Josh and Kevin have this way of inspiring collaboration, which I think at least partly has to do with the fact that they’re jazz musicians.”

The word togetherness conjures fellowship or harmony. The McDonald brothers often riff on their collective goals and projects in harmony – right down to their planned graduation together in spring 2008.

Josh is a triple major, in philosophy, psychology and political science, with a minor in trumpet performance. He says he’d like to eventually earn a doctorate in political science and philosophy.

“Eventually, I’d like to teach and write in topics of self,” Josh said. “Self-formation, being, aesthetics, and [things like] the creation of the self.”

Kevin is majoring in music performance, and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in music at the University of Southern California.

“My experiences with music have been broad and eclectic,” Kevin said. “It’s difficult to think about narrowing my focus right now.”

But there’s one aspect of each brother’s future that both of them are sure about: They will continue to collaborate, especially as musicians.

“I think it’s going to be one of those ongoing things throughout our lives, even long after we’ve left Fresno State and KFSR,” Josh said. “I’ve always taken great comfort in the fact that we can get together and lay down some great jazz. I hope we’re still doing that when we’re old men.”

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