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Lou Donaldson: Old School... and Still Cool
by AAJ Staff
Born in Badin, North Carolina on November 1, 1926, Lou Donaldson is still going strong at the age of 79, playing the same brand of soulful, swinging jazz that established him as one of the most popular alto saxophonists to ever record for the famed Blue Note label. Donaldson, who recorded for Blue Note from 1952 to 1963 before briefly moving to the Chess label subsidiaries Argo and Cadet from 1964 to '66, was an early disciple of ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: The Artist Selects
by Chris May
Blue Note's new Artist Selects series presumably takes its cue from ECM's recent Rarum initiative: the tracks on the CDs are chosen by the artists themselves, who also write about them in the liner notes. Along with this set from Lou Donaldson, the first batch of albums includes collections by Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell, and--from Pacific Jazz's vaults, rather than Blue Note's--Gerald Wilson. There's always a feeling, with any sort of decades-wide anthology, that you're simply skating ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Say It Loud!
by Germein Linares
Lou Donaldson's Say It Loud! is finally on CD. Recorded for Blue Note in '69, this is one of several late-'60s albums by the legendary alto saxophonist that tend to get little respect. That's too bad, really. Apart from sporting a very capable band in trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Jimmy Ponder, organist Charles Earland and drummer Leo Morris, the five selections on Say It Loud! are undeniably fun.True, there aren't great answers on God or the circle of ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: The Natural Soul
by Clifford Allen
Throughout the ‘60s, Blue Note pretty much held a monopoly on both of hard bop's children: modal jazz (of the Jackie McLean variety) and soul jazz (John Patton, Lou Donaldson and company). Of course, the soul jazz community does not limit itself to the simple pleasures of R&B party records, the reason why clean vinyl copies of Harold Vick and Fred Jackson records aren't a dime a dozen. There is a difference between, say, the approaches of Patton and Don ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: The Complete Blue Note Lou Donaldson Sessions 1957-1960
by C. Andrew Hovan
A soul survivor in every sense of the term, this alto saxophonist is one of the few remaining jazz artists who made a major impact on the jazz community via an extensive run with producer Alfred Lion and the Blue Note label (Horace Silver being another Blue Note legend that comes to mind). From his first recordings for the label with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, it was clear that Lou Donaldson put melody and sound at a premium, coming up ...
Continue ReadingLou Donaldson Quartet: Live On The QE 2
by Glenn Astarita
You can generally count on time-honored alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson for an effervescent brew consisting of peppery soul grooves and bop-ish swing, which is prominently evident on his latest release recorded for the folks aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship.
Live On The QE2 features the saxophonist along with jazz heavyweights such as Hammond B-3 master, Dr. Lonnie Smith, guitarist Randy Johnston and drummer Danny Burger as trumpeter Nicholas Payton joins the band on the ... Continue ReadingLou Donaldson: Good Gracious!
by Jim Santella
The organ combo has a distinct sound, one like no other. Lou Donaldson discovered Grant Green and Big John Patton, recommended them to Blue Note (in effect, initiating their recording careers), and produced some mighty fine recordings in their company. Both Donaldson and guitarist Green have listed Charlie Parker as a prime influence, and it is immediately apparent in the up-tempo blues-based tunes. Patton's foot pedals substitute, naturally, for the bass, and drummer Ben Dixon ...
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