Artist Biography by Scott Yanow
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.
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Biografía del artista por Scott Yanow
Lou Donaldson ha sido durante mucho tiempo un excelente bop-altoista influenciado por Charlie Parker, pero con un estilo propio más basado en el blues. Su tono distintivo ha sido escuchado en una variedad de escenarios de grupos pequeños, y ha grabado docenas de decorados dignos y animados (aunque algo predecibles) a lo largo de los años.
Donaldson comenzó a tocar el clarinete a los 15 años, y pronto cambió a la contralto. Asistió a la universidad y tocó en una banda de la Marina mientras estaba en el ejército. Donaldson llamó la atención por primera vez cuando se mudó a Nueva York y en 1952 comenzó a grabar para Blue Note como líder. A la edad de 25 años, su estilo estaba completamente formado, y aunque continuaría creciendo en profundidad a través de los años, Donaldson ya había encontrado su sonido. En 1954, participó en un notable concierto con Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver y Tommy Potter que fue ampliamente documentado por Blue Note y que precedió directamente a los Jazz Messengers. Sin embargo, Donaldson nunca fue miembro de los Messengers, y aunque grabó como sideman en los años 50 y ocasionalmente después con Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson y Jimmy Smith, entre otros, ha sido líder de banda desde mediados de los 50 hasta el presente.
Las primeras grabaciones de Donaldson en Blue Note eran puro bop. En 1958, comenzó a utilizar a menudo a un conguero, y a partir de 1961, sus bandas a menudo tenían un organista más que un pianista. Su estilo bluesista era fácilmente transferible al soul-jazz, y sonaba muy original en ese contexto. Su asociación con Blue Note (1952-1963) fue seguida por algunos excelentes (aunque ahora escasos) sets para Cadet y Argo (1963-1966). El altoísta regresó a Blue Note en 1967 y pronto se vio atrapado en las tendencias cada vez más comerciales de la etiqueta. Durante un tiempo, utilizó un saxo electrónico Varitone, que diluyó completamente su sonido. El éxito de "Alligator Boogaloo" en 1967 condujo a una serie de grabaciones funk menos interesantes que fueron instantáneamente fechadas y no dignas de su talento.
Sin embargo, después de algunos años de ausencia de discos, el regreso artístico de Lou Donaldson en 1981 y las subsiguientes fechas de soul-jazz y hard bop para Muse, Timeless y Milestone han encontrado al artista en plena forma, interactuando con organistas y pianistas por igual y demostrando que su estilo es bastante intemporal.
Tracklist:
A1 - If I Love Again
A2 - Down Home
A3 - The Best Things In Life Are Free
A4 - Sweet Juice
B1 - Cheek To Cheek
B2 - Roccus
B3 - Things We Did Last Summer
B4 - Lou's Blues
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson
Bass – Gene Ramey (tracks: B1 to B4), Percy Heath (tracks: A1 to A4)
Design – Hermansader
Drums – Art Blakey (tracks: A1 to A4), Arthur Taylor (tracks: B1 to B4)
Ensemble – Lou Donaldson Quartet (tracks: B1 to B4), Lou Donaldson Quintet (tracks: A1 to A4)
Liner Notes – Leonard Feather
Piano – Horace Silver
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell (tracks: A1 to A4)
Notes:
Modern Jazz Series
33⅓ Microgroove Long Playing
Blue Note Records 161 Lexington Ave N Y C
Recorded at WOR Studios, NYC, June 20, 1952 (side B), and November 19, 1952 (side A).
Label: Blue Note – BLP 5021, Blue Note – BLUE NOTE 5021
Series: Modern Jazz Series –
Released: 1952
Genre: Jazz
Style: Bop
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