Showing posts with label Lou Donaldson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lou Donaldson. Show all posts

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Lou Donaldson - Rough House Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:01
Size: 77.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz
Year: 1964/2010
Art: Front

[5:22] 1. Tippin' In
[3:12] 2. L.D. Blues
[4:24] 3. Days Of Wine And Roses
[4:57] 4. Ignant Oil
[6:33] 5. Rough House Blues
[4:00] 6. Back Talk
[5:30] 7. Huffin' 'n' Puffin'

Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone; Dave Burns, Ernie Royal - trumpet; Phil Woods - alto saxophone; Bob Ashton - tenor saxophone; Danny Bank - baritone saxophone; Lloyd Mayers Jr. - organ; Richard Davis - bass; Grady Tate - drums; Oliver Nelson - conductor, arranger.

Lou Donaldson has long been an excellent bop altoist influenced by Charlie Parker, but with a more blues-based style of his own. His distinctive tone has been heard in a variety of small-group settings, and he has recorded dozens of worthy and spirited (if somewhat predictable) sets throughout the years.

Donaldson started playing clarinet when he was 15, soon switching to the alto. He attended college and performed in a Navy band while in the military. Donaldson first gained attention when he moved to New York and in 1952 started recording for Blue Note as a leader. At the age of 25, his style was fully formed, and although it would continue growing in depth through the years, Donaldson had already found his sound. In 1954, he participated in a notable gig with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, and Tommy Potter that was extensively documented by Blue Note and that directly predated the Jazz Messengers. However, Donaldson was never a member of the Messengers, and although he recorded as a sideman in the '50s and occasionally afterwards with Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, and Jimmy Smith, among others, he has been a bandleader from the mid-'50s up until the present.

Donaldson's early Blue Note recordings were pure bop. In 1958, he began often utilizing a conga player, and starting in 1961, his bands often had an organist rather than a pianist. His bluesy style was easily transferable to soul-jazz, and he sounded most original in that context. His association with Blue Note (1952-1963) was succeeded by some excellent (if now-scarce) sets for Cadet and Argo (1963-1966). The altoist returned to Blue Note in 1967 and soon became caught up in the increasingly commercial leanings of the label. For a time, he utilized an electronic Varitone sax, which completely watered down his sound. The success of "Alligator Boogaloo" in 1967 led to a series of less interesting funk recordings that were instantly dated and not worthy of his talent.

Rough House Blues

Friday, February 9, 2024

The Cedar Walton Sextet - Bambino: Plays the Music of Art Blakey

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:09) 1. Arabia
( 8:12) 2. Wee Dot
( 7:20) 3. If I Had You
(16:06) 4. Blues March
( 7:58) 5. Along Came Betty

Cedar Walton's sextet recorded this session before an appreciative audience at Sweet Basil in New York in 1993. Joining the pianist for this date were trumpeter Philip Harper, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, trombonist Steve Turre, bassist David Williams and drummer Billy Higgins. The recording was taped during two August nights at the club; alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson appears on "Wee Dot" and "If I Had You."

Four of the sextet are alumni of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers; moreover, Lou Donaldson's work experience with Blakey predates the founding of his Jazz Messengers. Horace Silver was with the ensemble at that time (the early 1950s) and likes to refer to The Jazz Messengers as "the Art Blakey College of Musical Education." Blakey's working unit remained at the vanguard of hard bop for 36 years, and included well-known jazz artists such as Benny Golson, Jackie McLean, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, and Wynton Marsalis (Blakey, who passed away in October 1990, used to introduce himself to audiences as "Mrs. Blakey's bambino, Arturo").

Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" features Turre's expressive trombone. J.J. Johnson's "Wee Dot" includes Walton's exciting hard bop piano work and fours from the ever-tasteful Billy Higgins. "If I Had You" is a gentle ballad that features Donaldson. Benny Golson's "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty" provide the most excitement, as each soloist pushes the envelope. Harper and Jackson are particularly creative in their solo spots, weaving quiet mouse-like lines together and building them into uproarious shouts. Art Blakey taught them well.By Jim Santella
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bambino-cedar-walton-evidence-music-review-by-jim-santella

Personnel: Piano – Cedar Walton; Alto Saxophone, Guest – Lou Donaldson (tracks: 2, 3); Bass – David Williams (2); Drums – Billy Higgins; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson; Trombone – Steve Turre; Trumpet – Philip Harper

Bambino: Plays the Music of Art Blakey

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Clifford Brown - Memorial Album (Remastered)

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1953/2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:12
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Bellarosa
(3:56)  2. Carvin' The Rock
(3:14)  3. Cookin'
(3:46)  4. Brownie Speaks
(4:51)  5. De-Dah
(4:19)  6. You Go To My Head
(3:51)  7. Carvin' The Rock (Alternate Take)
(3:08)  8. Cookin' (Alternate Take)
(4:05)  9. Carvin' The Rock (Alternate Take #2)
(4:02) 10. Wail Bait
(4:07) 11. Hymn Of The Orient
(3:56) 12. Brownie Eyes
(3:27) 13. Cherokee
(3:44) 14. Easy Living
(4:34) 15. Minor Mood
(4:07) 16. Wail Bait (Alternate Take)
(3:42) 17. Cherokee (Alternate Take)
(4:01) 18. Hymn Of The Orient (Alternate Take)

Clifford Brown emerged fully formed in 1953, a trumpeter gifted with an ebullient swing and technical skills that added polish and precision to fresh invention. Foregoing both the manic pyrotechnics of Dizzy Gillespie and the laconic introversion of Miles Davis, he also provided a stylistic model for jazz trumpeters that has never gone out of style. This CD combines Brown's first two recording dates as leader, placing him in quintet and sextet settings with some of the core musicians of the New York bop scene. The first nine tracks have Brown in an inspired quintet, prodded by the twisting, off-kilter solos and comping of the brilliant and underrated pianist Elmo Hope and the sparkling complexity of drummer Philly Joe Jones. While altoist Lou Donaldson is deeply in the sway of Charlie Parker, Brown sets his own course, whether it's the boppish "Cookin'" or the standard "You Go to My Head." 

The final nine tracks have Art Blakey's drums driving the sextet, while altoist Gigi Gryce's understated concentration acts as an effective foil to Brown's joyous, dancing lines. Taken at a medium up-tempo, "Cherokee" is one of Brown's most effective vehicles. The alternate takes from each session highlight Brown's spontaneous creativity, while Rudy Van Gelder's remastering adds fresh focus to both his gorgeous tone and the explosive drumming. ~ Stuart Broomer - Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Memorial-Album-Clifford-Brown/dp/B00005MIZ6

Personnel: Tracks 1-9: Clifford Brown - trumpet; Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone; Elmo Hope - piano; Percy Heath - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums. Tracks 10-18: Clifford Brown - trumpet; John Lewis - piano; Gigi Gryce - alto saxophone, flute; Charlie Rouse - tenor saxophone; Percy Heath - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Memorial Album

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Lou Donaldson - Sunny Side Up

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:55
Size: 103,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Blues for J.P.
(5:16)  2. The Man I Love
(5:53)  3. Politely
(3:58)  4. It's You or No One
(5:22)  5. The Truth
(6:10)  6. Goose Grease
(6:34)  7. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(5:58)  8. Way Down Upon the Swanee River

Sunny Side Up is closer to hard bop than the straight-ahead bop that characterized Lou Donaldson's '50s Blue Note records. There's a bit more soul to the songs here, which pianist Horace Parlan helps emphasize with his lightly swinging grooves. The pair help lead the group which also features trumpeter Bill Hardman, drummer Al Harewood and bassist Sam Jones (Laymon Jackson plays bass on two of the eight songs) through a mellow set of standards and bluesy originals from Donaldson and Parlan. Even the uptempo numbers sound relaxed, never fiery. Despite the general smoothness of the session, Donaldson stumbles a little the quotation of "Flight of the Bumblebee" on "Blues for J.P." is awkward, as is the snippet of "Pop Goes the Weasel" on "Politely," and "Way Down Upon the Swanee River" sounds lazy but there's enough solid material to make Sunny Side Up a worthwhile listen for fans of Donaldson and early-'60s hard bop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunny-side-up-mw0000176137

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone; Horace Parlan - piano; Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Laymon Jackson - bass Sam Jones - bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Sunny Side Up

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Lou Donaldson - The Time Is Right

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:15
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Lou's Blues
(5:46)  2. Be My Love
(5:11)  3. Idaho
(4:42)  4. The Nearness Of You
(5:18)  5. Mack The Knife
(5:15)  6. Crosstown Shuffle
(5:03)  7. Tangerine

Saxophonist Lou Donaldson is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker. Donaldson has worked with jazz greats including Milt Jackson, Thelonious Monk, Blue Mitchell, Horace Silver and Art Blakey. 

First released in 1959, The Time is Right is a warm, mellow affair overall, definitely post-bop. His group features Horace Parlan on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Laymon Jackson on bass and Dave Bailey on drums. Ray Baretto is featured on conga, which gives the session a bit of Latin flavor.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Time-Right-Lou-Donaldson/dp/B004C6QER6

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone;  Horace Parlan - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet - except track 2;  Laymon Jackson - bass;  Dave Bailey - drums;  Ray Barretto - congas

The Time Is Right

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Lou Donaldson - Hot Dog

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:08
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Soul/Jazz/Funk
Year: 1969/2015
Art: Front

[ 6:43] 1. Who's Making Love
[ 7:52] 2. Turtle Walk
[ 4:53] 3. Bonnie
[10:41] 4. Hot Dog
[ 8:57] 5. It's Your Thing

Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson; Drums – Leo Morris; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ – Charles Earland; Trumpet – Ed Williams. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on April 25, 1969.

The soul-jazz format provides a most satisfying canvas for Donaldson’s distinctive soaring, blues-inflected runs. Eagle-eyed readers will note in the pictures Lou has an effects box strapped to his chest – so he can add reverb or whatever on the fly to his electronic alto. 1969. Electronic instruments were beginning to take hold.

Earland eschews JS fireworks for rhythmic propulsion, with only occasional assaults on the upper register. When he stretches out, long ascending and descending arpeggios which wouldn’t be out of place in any late ’60s prog-rock band, Jon Lord, Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman, music of its time. Melvyn Sparks neat linear guitar runs serve up a Grant Green tribute act, perfect in context. Together, the ensemble delivers a cracking ten minute floor filler, or, on specialist orthopaedic advice, sit out for a finger-poppin’ session on the sofa. ~https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com

Hot Dog mc
Hot Dog zippy

Friday, May 25, 2018

Jimmy Smith - Rockin' The Boat

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:30
Size: 88.1 MB
Styles: Soul-blues-jazz, B3 organ jazz
Year: 1963/2004
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[7:37] 2. Pork Chop
[3:00] 3. Matilda! Matilda!
[5:25] 4. Can Heat
[6:11] 5. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[3:48] 6. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
[4:57] 7. Trust In Me

Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson; Drums – Donald Bailey; Guitar – Quentin Warren; Organ – Jimmy Smith. Recorded on February 7, 1963.

Organist Jimmy Smith's next-to-last LP for Blue Note after a very extensive seven-year period is up to his usual level. With altoist Lou Donaldson joining Smith's regular group (which included guitarist Quentin Warren and drummer Donald Bailey), the quartet swings with soul on such fine numbers as "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," "Can Heat," "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." With the exception of the closing ballad, "Trust in Me," all seven of the selections are closely related to the blues. ~Scott Yanow

Rockin' The Boat mc
Rockin' The Boat zippy

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Lou Donaldson - Everything I Play Is Funky

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:43
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1970/1995
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)
[6:37] 2. Hamp's Hump
[7:12] 3. Over The Rainbow
[6:44] 4. Donkey Walk
[6:27] 5. West Indian Daddy
[6:15] 6. Minor Bash

Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson; Bass Guitar [Fender Bass] – Jimmy Lewis; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ – Charles Earland, Lonnie Smith; Trumpet – Blue Mitchell, Eddie Williams. Recorded on August 22, 1969 & January 9, 1970.

Although purists might not find it as much to their taste as Midnight Creeper, Everything I Play Is Funky is easily one of the best examples of Lou Donaldson's commercially accessible period of the late '60s and early '70s. Donaldson's forays into funk and R&B-driven soul-jazz could sometimes sound stiff, but the grooves here -- which feature many of the same players -- are consistently limber and unforced. And, typical of the style, the grooves (not adventurous improvisation) are what make the album tick. For once, Donaldson's attempt at an R&B cover -- in this case, the Lee Dorsey-sung, Allen Toussaint-penned "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)" -- is pulled off well enough to make for an entirely convincing statement of purpose. That number kicks off an entertaining program also highlighted by three Donaldson originals -- the cooking funk number "Donkey Walk," which seems to inspire the fieriest solos on the record, the cheery calypso "West Indian Daddy," and the hard bop-flavored "Minor Bash." There's also a version of "Over the Rainbow" done in Donaldson's caressing, melodic ballad style, and the simple funk vamp "Hamp's Hump." It's a nicely varied assortment, all anchored by the percolating rhythm section of guitarist Melvin Sparks, bassist Jimmy Lewis, and drummer Idris Muhammad (Charles Earland and Dr. Lonnie Smith switch off on organ, and Blue Mitchell and Eddie Williams do the same on trumpet). This is the sort of record that modern-day Donaldson disciples like the Sugarman Three cherish, and one of his few truly consistent efforts in this style. Recommended wholeheartedly to funk and rare-groove fans. ~Steve Huey

Everything I Play Is Funky mc
Everything I Play Is Funky zippy

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Lou Donaldson - Birdseed

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:19
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Cherry
(6:56)  2. Walkin' Again
(6:31)  3. Pennies From Heaven
(8:15)  4. Red Top
(5:48)  5. Blue Bossa
(5:02)  6. Black Door Blues
(5:23)  7. Dorothy
(6:44)  8. Birdseed

Like fellow alto saxophonists Phil Woods, Jackie McLean, Frank Morgan, Ernie Henry, and Sonny Criss, Lou Donaldson started out with a very Charlie Parker-like tone but went on to develop a recognizable sound of his own. Bird's influence never disappeared from Donaldson's playing, although he successfully combined that influence with many ideas of his own. The title Birdseed might lead some to wonder if this 1992 date is a tribute to Parker -- it isn't, and the CD doesn't contain any Parker songs at all. However, that title is Donaldson's way of acknowledging Parker's tremendous contributions. (Producer Orrin Keepnews put it best when he said that there are basically two types of jazz: before and after Charlie Parker). Though the uptempo title song has a very Bird-like melody, it is Donaldson's own ideas that make this album as appealing as it is. From the Johnny Hodges-minded ballad "Dorothy" (written by singer Rudy Nichols) to earthy blues statements on Gene Ammons' "Red Top" and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's "Back Door Blues," Birdseed finds Donaldson in fine form at 65. 

The CD's most surprising track is "Pennies From Heaven," which has usually been heard at a fast or medium speed in recent decades but is returned to a ballad tempo by Donaldson (who is joined by organist David Braham, drummer Fukushi Tainaka, percussionist Ralph Dorsey, and the Grant Green-influenced guitarist Peter Bernstein). Produced by Bob Porter, Birdseed falls short of essential but is inspired and swinging. 
~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/birdseed-mw0000093840

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone); David Braham (organ); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Fukushi Tainaka (drums); Ralph Dorsey (congas).

Birdseed

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Lou Donaldson - Blue Breakbeats

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:32
Size: 101.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[7:53] 1. Turtle Walk
[8:16] 2. Brother Soul
[6:14] 3. Minor Bash
[8:07] 4. Pot Belly
[6:43] 5. One Cylinder
[7:15] 6. Caracas

Back in 1998, Blue Note came out with a series of little 35- to 45-minute "Breakbeats" samplers taken from the thick, rich catalogs of Bobbi Humphrey, Grant Green, Reuben Wilson, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, and Lou Donaldson. What you get on this particular volume are six very enjoyable examples of Lou Donaldson's best jazz-funk grooves harvested from the golden formative years of this well-loved style (1963-1970). The collective personnel is pretty wicked, and includes Blue Mitchell, Melvin Sparks, Grant Green, Charles Earland, and Idris Muhammad. As usual, the background for the music is way bigger and runs much deeper than many folks realize. Anyone who has gone back and assessed Donaldson's entire career knows that he was one of the few alto players who didn't switch to tenor in the shadow of Charlie Parker during the 1950s. Donaldson's chops were always as formidable as Bird's or Earl Bostic's, James Moody's or Cannonball Adderley's. His recorded legacy is a lot more diverse than you would imagine if all you went by were the funky tracks that have since been lucratively "legitimated" by the recording industry in response to the sampling habits of a whole generation of DJ mixologists. Not to complain -- it's very cool that Lou Donaldson's funk-jazz is getting reissued and is being enjoyed by people young enough to be his great-grandchildren. It's just that it would be awfully nice if more people were aware of the considerable stylistic range of his music. The root system of these "Breakbeats" exists in the amazing and to some extent overlooked records that Lou Donaldson made between 1952 and 1963. For maximum enjoyment and fulfillment, get some context for the funk and you'll enjoy it like never before. ~arwulf arwulf

Blue Breakbeats

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Lou Donaldson - Sassy Soul Strut

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:20
Size: 90.0 MB
Styles: Soul-Jazz
Year: 1973/2013
Art: Front

[7:01] 1. Sanford And Son Theme
[3:50] 2. Pillow Talk
[4:36] 3. Sassy Soul Strut
[2:33] 4. Good Morning Heartache
[9:07] 5. City, Country, City
[5:19] 6. This Is Happiness
[6:51] 7. Inner Space

Sassy Soul Strut pairs Lou Donaldson with arranger George Butler to create a smooth, unabashedly commercial session some distance removed from the saxophonist's classic soul-jazz efforts. Emphasizing electric instruments and radio-friendly rhythms, the album nevertheless plays to Donaldson's strengths, focusing more on mood and texture and less on funk. Opening with a gutbucket rendition of Quincy Jones immortal "The Streetbeater" (far better known as the theme to television's Sanford and Son), Sassy Soul Strut quickly settles comfortably into a light, accessible mode too lively to dismiss as smooth jazz but too mellow to pass as anything else. Butler's arrangements haven't dated particularly well, but the record's too innocuous and good-natured to qualify as an outright failure. It's simply forgettable, nothing more and nothing less. ~Jason Ankeny

Sassy Soul Strut

Friday, November 25, 2016

Lou Donaldson & Grant Green - Cool Blues

Styles: Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:01
Size: 162,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. A Foggy Day
(9:26)  2. Here 'Tis
(6:53)  3. Cool Blues
(7:32)  4. Watusi Jump
(8:36)  5. Walk Wid Me
(8:33)  6. Misty
(6:08)  7. Please
(5:48)  8. Man With a Horn
(5:11)  9. Prisoner of Love
(6:12) 10. Stardust

Lou Donaldson has long been an excellent bop altoist influenced by Charlie Parker, but with a more blues-based style of his own. His distinctive tone has been heard in a variety of small-group settings, and he has recorded dozens of worthy and spirited (if somewhat predictable) sets throughout the years. Donaldson started playing clarinet when he was 15, soon switching to the alto. He attended college and performed in a Navy band while in the military. Donaldson first gained attention when he moved to New York and in 1952 started recording for Blue Note as a leader. At the age of 25, his style was fully formed, and although it would continue growing in depth through the years, Donaldson had already found his sound. In 1954, he participated in a notable gig with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, and Tommy Potter that was extensively documented by Blue Note and that directly predated the Jazz Messengers. However, Donaldson was never a member of the Messengers, and although he recorded as a sideman in the '50s and occasionally afterwards with Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, and Jimmy Smith, among others, he has been a bandleader from the mid-'50s up until the present.

Donaldson's early Blue Note recordings were pure bop. In 1958, he began often utilizing a conga player, and starting in 1961, his bands often had an organist rather than a pianist. His bluesy style was easily transferable to soul-jazz, and he sounded most original in that context. His association with Blue Note (1952-1963) was succeeded by some excellent (if now-scarce) sets for Cadet and Argo (1963-1966). The altoist returned to Blue Note in 1967 and soon became caught up in the increasingly commercial leanings of the label. For a time, he utilized an electronic Varitone sax, which completely watered down his sound. The success of "Alligator Boogaloo" in 1967 led to a series of less interesting funk recordings that were instantly dated and not worthy of his talent. However, after a few years off records, Lou Donaldson's artistic return in 1981 and subsequent soul-jazz and hard bop dates for Muse, Timeless, and Milestone have found the altoist back in prime form, interacting with organists and pianists alike and showing that his style is quite timeless. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lou-donaldson-mn0000808198/biography

Personnel: Lou Donaldson - alto sax,  Grant Green - guitar,  Baby Face Willette - organ on tracks 1-5,  Dave Bailey - drums on tracks 1-5,  Brother Jack McDuff - organ on tracks 6-10,  Joe Dukes - drums on tracks 6-10.

Cool Blues

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Lou Donaldson - Play The Right Thing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 80,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. Play the Right Thing
(6:09)  2. Whiskey Drinkin' Woman
(6:54)  3. Marmaduke
(5:53)  4. Harlem Nocturne
(7:58)  5. This Is Happiness
(6:24)  6. I Had the Craziest Dream
(4:12)  7. The Masquerade Is Over
(6:00)  8. Footpattin' Time

As specifically indicated by the album's title, the title tune's bluesy cast, and Sweet Lou Donaldson's own determined liner notes, this CD aims to strike a blow for soul-jazz, a once-popular, then-maligned idiom newly returned from exile. That it does with no frills, no apologies, and an idiomatic supporting cast. For Donaldson, it was a return to the style that lit up inner-city jukeboxes for him in the 1960s, and though his alto sax lacks some of the majesty that he could summon forth, his bop-flavored technique remained in fine shape in his mid-sixties. It was also a reunion with Donaldson's occasional organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, who contributes plenty of understated savvy to his solos and bass pedal underpinning. Peter Bernstein is the crisp, tasteful guitarist and Bernard Purdie remains the genre's premier timekeeper, assisted by conguero Ralph Dorsey. Together, they work over a series of standards ("Harlem Nocturne," "I Had the Craziest Dream"), some vintage bop (Charlie Parker's "Marmaduke"), and a few Donaldson compositions. "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman," a humorous slow blues featuring Donaldson's high-pitched, good-natured vocals, became a popular feature of his stage act into the next century. With all of these ingredients in place, the CD achieves a comfortable level of competence without really grabbing hold of a groove and riding it the way Donaldson could in his Blue Note days. Also, the sound is a little dry. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/play-the-right-thing-mw0000264811

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (vocals, alto saxophone); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Dr. Lonnie Smith (organ); Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums); Ralph Dorsey (congas).

Play The Right Thing

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Lou Donaldson - Pretty Things

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:45
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:39)  1. Tennessee Waltz
(5:47)  2. Curtis' Song
(6:34)  3. Sassie Lassie
(5:28)  4. Just for a Thrill
(8:11)  5. Pot Belly
(6:03)  6. Love

Lou Donaldson has recorded many strong sessions throughout his career but this CD reissue brings back one of the less-significant ones. Organist Leon Spencer dominates the ensembles, the material is a bit trivial and the altoist/leader uses a baritone sax on some of the selections which makes him sound much less individual than usual. Trumpeter Blue Mitchell's solos and a fine closing jam on "Love" help upgrade the music a bit but there are many better Donaldson recordings to acquire first. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/pretty-things-mw0000103323

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Leon Spencer Jr., Lonnie Smith (organ); Ted Dunbar, Melvin Sparks (guitar); Jimmy Lewis (bass); Idris Muhammad (drums).

Pretty Things

Friday, August 19, 2016

Lou Donaldson - Lou Takes Off

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:20
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:05)  1. Sputnik
( 7:17)  2. Dewey Square
(14:34)  3. Strollin' In
( 6:22)  4. Groovin' High

A cadre of young musicians, each who would, in time, evolve into a master, is caught as they begin to shine early on for this fireball 1957 set. A thinly disguised take on Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is the opening tune, altoist Lou Donaldson's "Sputnik." It launches matters at full throttle, with Donaldson unmistakably reflecting Charlie Parker's then still very fresh and vibrant influence. Joining the pulsating rhythms is a young Donald Byrd, whose ebullient trumpet intonation makes for a perfect complement to Donaldson's sweet bop heat. Adding more flavor is a strong rhythm section driven by the breathtaking marathon-paced drumming of Art Taylor.

A bop classic, Charlie Parker's own "Dewey Square," includes a showcasing solo from the too-soon-gone Sonny Clark, who was already displaying his rhythmically sophisticated and seriously playful piano. Easing in and out smoothly on the tune is Curtis Fuller, who was already demonstrating the JJ Johnson-influenced technique that, as composer and trombonist, has led to his playing with a galaxy ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Count Basie and many more. On another Donaldson piece, "Strollin' In," Fuller's sound is so varied and sweet it's as if he's just invented a new instrument. And Clark's piano is so mesmerizing one can only regret, again, that his life was so short.  If Lou Takes Off is not an essential set, it is a fascinating one, if only historically. It's a welcome opportunity to savor a steaming, vivid and fascinating session when a band of young lions were clearly on the verge of greatness. ~ Andrew Velez https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lou-takes-off-lou-donaldson-blue-note-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php
Personnel:  Lou Donaldson: alto saxophone;  Donald Byrd: trumpet;  Curtis Fuller: trombone;  Sonny Clark: piano;  Jamil Nasser: bass;  Art Taylor: drums.

Lou Takes Off

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Thelonious Monk - 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (2-Disc Set)

Alto Saxophone – Danny Quebec West, Lou Donaldson, Sahib Shihab; Bass – Al McKibbon, Robert Paige, Gene Ramey, John Simmons, Nelson Boyd; Drums – Art Blakey, Max Roach, Shadow Wilson; Piano – Thelonious Monk; Tenor Saxophone – Billy Smith, Lucky Thompson; Trumpet – George Taitt, Idrees Sulieman, Kenny Dorham; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson; Vocals – Kenny 'Pancho' Hagood.

This collection presents for the first time Monk’s Blue Note recordings in their original 78 rpm sequence of release, adding as bonus tracks the alternate takes that appeared on later LP and CD releases.

The two-disc Thelonious Monk anthology, 2014's 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles (1947-1952)), compiles all of the influential jazz pianist’s original 78 rpm singles released on the storied Blue Note label. These are Monk's first recordings under his own name, leading a group (not his debut recordings as a sideman with Coleman Hawkins). All of these recordings were later collected on various albums including Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1., and other anthologies. Here, they are presented in chronological order and with alternate takes. Recorded in six separate sessions beginning in October of 1947 and ending in May of 1952, these sides showcase many of the songs Monk composed, and which would quickly become part of the jazz canon. Included are "Evidence," "Mysterioso," "Well, You Needn't," and others. While the focal point of these albums is Monk's innovative use of dissonance and unexpected, angular melodicism, the recordings also benefit from a veritable who's-who of modern jazz of the period. Backing Monk here, variously, are such luminaries as drummers Art Blakey and Max Roach, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, trumpeters Kenny Dorham and Idrees Sulieman, saxophonists Lou Donaldson and Lucky Thompson, and many more. While these recordings are widely available, it's both historically enlightening and aesthetically pleasing to have them collected so thoughtfully here. ~Matt Collar

Album: 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:10
Size: 172.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2014

[2:57] 1. Thelonious
[2:59] 2. Suburban Eyes
[3:09] 3. 'round Midnight
[2:57] 4. Well, You Needn't
[3:01] 5. Evonce
[2:59] 6. Off Minor
[2:54] 7. In Walked Bud
[3:04] 8. Epistrophy
[3:11] 9. Ruby, My Dear
[2:30] 10. Evidence
[2:51] 11. Humph
[3:19] 12. Misterioso
[2:55] 13. All The Things You Are
[2:59] 14. I Should Care
[2:43] 15. I Mean You
[3:06] 16. Monk's Mood
[2:40] 17. Who Knows
[2:59] 18. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[3:19] 19. April In Paris
[3:26] 20. Four In One
[2:55] 21. Straight, No Chaser
[2:54] 22. Criss-Cross
[3:02] 23. Eronel
[3:13] 24. Ask Me Now
[3:00] 25. Willow Weep For Me 

Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 1)

Album: 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:13
Size: 160.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Skippy
[3:46] 2. Let's Cool One
[3:11] 3. Hornin' In
[3:25] 4. Carolina Moon
[3:00] 5. Evonce
[2:54] 6. Suburban Eyes
[2:59] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[3:04] 8. Ruby, My Dear
[2:53] 9. Well, You Needn't
[2:40] 10. April in Paris
[3:10] 11. Introspection
[2:43] 12. Who Knows
[3:00] 13. I Should Care
[2:42] 14. Misterioso
[3:26] 15. Four in One
[2:47] 16. Criss-Cross
[4:26] 17. Ask Me Now
[3:06] 18. Skippy
[3:05] 19. Hornin' In
[3:26] 20. Sixteen
[3:38] 21. Sixteen
[3:44] 22. I'll Follow You

Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 2)

Saturday, May 28, 2016

VA - The Blue Note Years Vol. 3: Organ And Soul 1956-1967

Size: 168,2+148,2 MB
Time: 72:54+64:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Soul, Jazz Funk
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Jimmy Smith - The Sermon (20:11)
02 Baby Face Willette Quartet - Somethin' Strange ( 6:40)
03 Fred Jackson - Southern Exposure ( 6:51)
04 Don Wilkerson - Sweet Cake (Digitally Remastered) ( 5:57)
05 Ike Quebec - Easy, Don't Hurt (1992 Digital Remaster) ( 6:08)
06 Freddy Roach - I.Q. Blues ( 5:18)
07 Big John Patton - Let 'em Roll (1992 Digital Remaster) ( 6:45)
08 Grant Green - Blues In Maude's Flat (15:01)

CD 2:
01 Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue ( 3:58)
02 Lou Donaldson - Hog Maw (Digitally Remastered) ( 6:18)
03 Donald Byrd - Cristo Redentor ( 5:40)
04 Stanley Turrentine - River's Invitation ( 6:13)
05 Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder (10:22)
06 Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple ( 6:43)
07 Hank Mobley - The Turnaround ( 8:14)
08 Donald Byrd - Slow Drag ( 9:43)
09 Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo ( 6:51)

This two CD collection was originally released as part of Blue Note's 60th Anniversary boxed set. Jimmy Smith, who was signed by Alfred Lion after he saw just one of Smith's shows, sets the pace for this chronicle of the organ fever of soul jazz. Other great organists featured include John Patton, Larry Young, and Freddie Roach. Aggressive and funky, this CD documents a sound that borrowed heavily from the blues and would influence jazz and rock well into the next decade. ~by Stacia Proefrock

The Blue Note Years Vol. 3: Organ And Soul 1956-1967 CD 1
The Blue Note Years Vol. 3: Organ And Soul 1956-1967 CD 2

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Lou Donaldson - Midnight Creeper

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:11
Size: 83,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Midnight Creeper
(7:46)  2. Love Power
(5:37)  3. Elizabeth
(9:44)  4. Bag of Jawels
(6:30)  5. Dapper Dan

As he delved deeper into commercial soul-jazz and jazz-funk, Lou Donaldson became better at it. While lacking the bite of his hard bop improvisations or the hard-swinging funk of Alligator Bogaloo, Midnight Creeper succeeds where its predecessor, Mr. Shing-A-Ling failed: it offers a thoroughly enjoyable set of grooving, funky soul-jazz. The five songs including two originals by Donaldson and one each by Lonnie Smith (who also plays organ on the record), Teddy Vann, and Harold Ousley aren't particularly distinguished, but the vibe is important, not the material. And the band Donaldson, Smith, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist George Benson, and drummer Leo Morris strikes the right note, turning in a fluid, friendly collection of bluesy funk vamps. Donaldson could frequently sound stilted on his commercial soul-jazz dates, but that's not the case with Midnight Creeper. He rarely was quite as loose on his late-'60s/early-'70s records as he is here, and that's what makes Midnight Creeper a keeper. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-midnight-creeper-mw0000063286

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone), Blue Mitchell (trumpet), George Benson (guitar), Lonnie Smith (organ), Idris Muhammad (drums).

Midnight Creeper

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Lou Donaldson - The Artist Selects

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:59
Size: 169.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul Jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Cheek To Cheek
[3:10] 2. Cookin'
[3:55] 3. Lou's Blues
[5:19] 4. Dorothy
[4:50] 5. Herman's Mambo
[6:39] 6. Blues Walk
[5:49] 7. The Masquerade Is Over
[9:04] 8. Funky Mama, Pt. 1
[7:16] 9. Caracas
[4:22] 10. What Will I Tell My Heart
[6:52] 11. Alligator Boogaloo
[8:16] 12. Peepin'
[5:20] 13. Caravan

Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson selected these 13 tracks as his personal favorites that he recorded for Blue Note between 1952 and 1968. During those 16 years, Donaldson embraced bebop, hard bop, and soul-jazz, thanks in part to the cavalcade of legendary musicians who passed through his band, including Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, George Benson, and Grant Green. The collection boasts such solid Donaldson-penned tracks as "Cookin'," "The Blues Walk," "Funky Mama," and "Alligator Boogaloo," which became a hit in 1967. While collectors will have little use for this set, it's perfect for the curious listener. ~Al Campbell

The Artist Selects

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Lou Donaldson - The Scorpion: Live At The Cadillac Club

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:26
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:58)  1. The Scorpion
( 6:00)  2. Laura
(13:01)  3. Alligator Boogaloo
( 4:09)  4. The Masquerade Is Over
( 5:26)  5. Peepin'
( 6:49)  6. Footpattin' Time

This previously unreleased live set, which has been issued on Blue Note's Rare Groove Series, will bore anyone who listens closely. The repertoire is dominated by lengthy funk grooves that are quite danceable but never develop beyond the obvious. Altoist Lou Donaldson was using a baritone horn at the time that gave him a generic and unappealing tone, the obscure trumpeter Fred Ballard does his best to no avail and the enthusiastic rhythm section (guitarist Melvin Sparks, organist Leon Spencer, Jr., and drummer Idris Muhammad) keeps the grooves repetitious. 

Bob Porter's liner notes (which colorfully give readers the history of Newark jazz of the past 30 years) are superlative but, even with the inclusion of a fast blues, musically nothing much happens. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-scorpion-live-at-the-cadillac-club-mw0000126429

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone);  Fred Ballard (trumpet);  Leon Spencer Jr. (organ);  Melvin Sparks (guitar);  Idris Muhhamad (drums).