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Jazz Articles about Lou Donaldson
Lou Donaldson: The Clifford Brown Connection and Beyond
by Victor L. Schermer
Lou Donaldson is one of the all-time great alto saxophonists in the bebop tradition. He came up in New York in the 1950s, latched onto the style of Charlie Parker and his cohorts, and has been going strong ever since, with numerous recordings and a hefty schedule of concerts and club dates. He has fronted many groups and worked as a sideman in groups led by some of the greatest jazz musicians of the last half of the 20th century. ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Here 'Tis
by Tom Greenland
Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson is one of a slew of hornmen to emerge from the long shadow of Charlie Parker, one whose distinctive bluesy sensibility eventually became a leading voice in the soul jazz movement. Here 'Tis (recorded in 1961), Donaldson's 14th session as a leader for Blue Note, is a standout release in his catalogue, a high midpoint along a stylistic transition that began with 1958's Blues Walk and would crystallize with 1967's Alligator Bogaloo.
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Lush Life
by Jeff Stockton
Lou Donaldson's Lush Life is the sort of mysterious lost session that inexplicably fell through the cracks from time to time at Blue Note Records during their wildly productive 1960s and the sort of collectable that used to make vinyl hawks salivate. This January 1967 session, unreleased until 1980 when it debuted in Japan under a different title (now getting the Rudy Van Gelder Edition treatment), seems to have gone against everything that was happening in jazz (and American culture) ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Lush Life
by Hrayr Attarian
Artists sometimes step out of character and produce a work that's not in the style for which they have come to be associated. The results are often intriguing if not always successful, and are a testament to their versatility. Such is the case with altoist Lou Donaldson's Lush Life, reissued after being given the RVG treatment by Blue Note Records. Originally recorded in 1967 but not issued until 1980, Lush Life is a collection of ballads played by ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Lou's Boogaloo
by Rex Butters
2007 already has alto saxophone legend Lou Donaldson in a New York state of mind. He began the year receiving honors at Jack Kleinsinger's Highlights in Jazz series at the Tribeca Peforming Arts Center, also stealing the show with his quartet. This month he checks into Birdland for a short stay with his quartet including old friend and fellow legend Dr. Lonnie Smith on B3. He'll be joining another Blue Note icon, Freddie Redd, for a performance of Redd's classic, ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson Quartet at Birdland
by Budd Kopman
Lou Donaldson QuartetBirdlandNew York, NY Saturday, February 3, 2007 Lou Donaldson, now eighty years old, and his group performed a wonderful straight-ahead set ("no fusion, no confusion ) before an adoring crowd. Birdland, being in the center of the theater district, can attract a lot of tourists, especially on the weekend. A performer must not only be able to play, but must also entertain and connect with the crowd. Donaldson does this easily, and ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: The Artist Selects
by Terrell Kent Holmes
Alto sax master Lou Donaldson's entry to the Blue Note Artist Selects series includes a blend of originals and standards, with Hall of Fame lineups from various eras. Listening to this music, one can map the evolution of jazz in the context of his development as a musician. Donaldson's first words on the liner notes are “I was influenced by Charlie Parker, and on “Cheek to Cheek he riffs with the tone, melodic dexterity and humor that ...
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