Lou Donaldson • Lush Life

Review

After brief sojourns at Argo and Cadet, Lou Donaldson marked his 1967 return by recording Lush Life, the grandest project he ever attempted. With its plush arrangements and unabashedly pretty melodies, Lush Life stands in stark contrast to everything else he cut in the '60s. There are no blues, no stabs at soul-jazz grooves, no hard bop -- only sweet, sensitive renditions of romantic standards. Donaldson shone on ballads before, but it's nevertheless surprising how successful he is on this set of slow love songs. His tone is full and elegant -- it's easy to get lost in his rich readings of these familiar melodies, as well as his slyly seductive improvisations. Of course, it helps that his instrumental backdrops are as lovely as those his nine-piece backing band provide. Nonets are unwieldy, to be certain, but Duke Pearson's arrangements are clean, sparkling, and attractive, and the superstar band -- Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Jerry Dodgion (alto sax, flute), Pepper Adams (bari sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Garnett Brown (trombone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Ron Carter (bass), Al Harewood (drums) -- knows enough to provide sympathetic support and not steal the show. When they do take solos, it enhances Donaldson's original statements, and helps make Lush Life the singularly enchanting record it is.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

https://www.allmusic.com/album/lush-life-mw0000198546

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Reseña

Después de breves estancias en Argo y Cadet, Lou Donaldson marcó su regreso en 1967 con la grabación de Lush Life, el proyecto más grande que intentó. Con sus arreglos de lujo y sus melodías descaradamente bonitas, Lush Life contrasta con todo lo que cortó en los 60. No hay blues, ni puñaladas en los ritmos de soul-jazz, ni hard bop, sólo dulces y sensibles interpretaciones de estándares románticos. Donaldson brilló en baladas antes, pero es sorprendente el éxito que tiene en este conjunto de canciones de amor lentas. Su tono es lleno y elegante - es fácil perderse en sus ricas lecturas de estas melodías familiares, así como en sus astutas y seductoras improvisaciones. Por supuesto, ayuda que sus fondos instrumentales sean tan encantadores como los que proporciona su banda de apoyo de nueve piezas. Los nonets son difíciles de manejar, pero los arreglos de Duke Pearson son limpios, brillantes y atractivos, y la banda superestrella -- Wayne Shorter (saxo tenor), Jerry Dodgion (saxo alto, flauta), Pepper Adams (saxo bari), Freddie Hubbard (trompeta), Garnett Brown (trombón), McCoy Tyner (piano), Ron Carter (bajo), Al Harewood (batería)... sabe lo suficiente como para proporcionar un apoyo comprensivo y no robar el espectáculo. Cuando hacen solos, mejora las declaraciones originales de Donaldson, y ayuda a hacer de Lush Life el disco singularmente encantador que es.

por Stephen Thomas Erlewine

https://www.allmusic.com/album/lush-life-mw0000198546


Tracks:
01. Sweet Slumber (Lucky Millinder, Al J. Neiburg, Henri Woode) - 5:56
02. You've Changed (Bill Carey, Carl Fischer) - 4:23
03. The Good Life (Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon) - 4:53
04. Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael) - 3:40
05. What Will I Tell My Heart (Irving Gordon, Jack Lawrence, Peter Tinturin) - 4:25
06. It Might as Well Be Spring (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) - 5:58
07. Sweet and Lovely (Gus Arnheim, Jules LeMare, Harry Tobias) - 5:58 Bonus track on CD


Credits:
Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Garnett Brown - trombone
Jerry Dodgion - alto saxophone, flute
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone
McCoy Tyner - piano
Ron Carter - bass
Al Harewood - drums
Duke Pearson - arranger.


Notes:
Recorded on January 20, 1967 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

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