Lou Donaldson – Alligator Bogaloo (1967/2013)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 35:34 minutes | 1,18 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Alligator Bogaloo is Lou Donaldson’s 1967 Blue Note classic. Melvin Lastie, Sr., Lonnie Smith, George Benson and Leo Morris join Donaldson for this undeniable gem. The album is an exhilarating blend of hard bop with soulful jazz. It reached #3 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums and includes the massive hits “Alligator Bogaloo” and “Aw Shucks”.
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Lou Donaldson – Sunny Side Up (1960/2011)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 00:44:50 minutes | 1,77 GB | Genre: Jazz
Source: ISO SACD | © Blue Note Records
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded primarily either with his own quartet featuring pianist Herman Foster, or with organ trios. Occasionally, he’d change things up as he did on this 1960 session that was strictly a hard bop affair. Foster didn’t take part in this recording; Horace Parlan replaced him at the piano and has been singled out by critics for his breathtaking performance. There’s still plenty of funk in evidence on Goose Grease, but Hardman’s Politely, Softly As In A Morning Sunrise and The Man I Love find Donaldson digging deep into his bop roots. In addition to Donaldson and Parlan, the rest of the quintet on this album includes Bill Hardman on trumpet, Laymon Jackson and Sam Jones splitting bass duties and Al Harewood on drums.
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Lou Donaldson – Here ‘Tis (1961/2010)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 39:15 minutes | 1,55 GB | Genre: Jazz
Source: ISO SACD | © Blue Note Records
A dedicated disciple of Charlie Parker, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson focused his energies on the bluesier aspects of his hero’s playing and rendered it with a sweeter edge that fashioned him a viable career for decades. His work for Blue Note showed his impressive mastery of the bop style.
Here ‘Tis is in the front rank of Lou Donaldson records, an exceptionally funky soul-jazz session that finds the saxophonist swinging harder than usual. As he moves from hard bop to soul-jazz, Donaldson reveals a bluesy streak to his playing while keeping the vigorous attack that defined his best bop. Donaldson’s playing is among his finest in the soul-jazz vein, but what makes Here ‘Tis such an enjoyable session is his interaction with his supporting trio of guitarist Grant Green, organist Baby Face Willette, and drummer Dave Bailey. As support, all three know how to keep a groove gritty and flexible, following Lou’s lead and working a swinging beat that keeps flowing, never growing static. Green and Willette also have their time in the spotlight, and both musicians are frequently stunning. Green’s single-note leads are clean and inventive; Willette is rhythmic and forceful, but also capable of soulful, mellow leads on the slow blues. Their talent, combined with Donaldson at a peak, results in a terrific record. –Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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Lou Donaldson, Clifford Brown – New Faces, New Sounds (1953/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 24:22 minutes | 974 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
New Faces New Sounds is a 1953 date featuring saxophonist Lou Donaldson and trumpeter Clifford Brown leading a quartet. The tracks were also issued on 1956’s Memorial Album after Brown’s death. Backing them here are pianist Elmo Hope, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. This is superb, highly influential hard bop jazz.
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Lou Donaldson – Swing And Soul (1957/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 37:30 minutes | 1,62 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
One of the many alto players deemed a Charlie Parker descendant; Donaldson did indeed help carry the torch from the post-bop era but gradually infused more blues and eventually what was to become soul-jazz into his playing. This June 1957 session, cut in Hackensack, was a distinct departure from his previous dates for Blue Note. Pianist Herman Foster and conga player Ray Barretto, both of whom he would utilize on future recordings, are joined by the tasteful drummer Dave Bailey and bassist Peck Morrison to complete the quintet.
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Lou Donaldson – Sweet Lou (1974/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 35:02 minutes | 1,40 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Sweet Lou was recorded by saxophonist Lou Donaldson in 1974. Produced by Horace Ott and George Butler and recorded at Generation Sound Studios in NYC, the album features compositions by Donaldson as well as a few tunes by other jazz musicians.
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Lou Donaldson – Sunny Side Up (1960/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 38:35 minutes | 1,70 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Sunny Side Up was recorded by Lou Donaldson on February 5 & 28, 1960 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewod Cliffs, New Jersey. Produced by Alfred Lion, the album has been described as “closer to hard bop than the straight-ahead bop that characterized Lou Donaldson’s ’50s Blue Note records” (Stephen Thomas Erlewine).
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Lou Donaldson – Sassy Soul Strut (1973/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 39:22 minutes | 1,64 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Originally released in 1973, Sassy Soul Strut is jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson’s Blue Note record featuring numerous jazz specialists. The album features standards like “Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater)”, “Good Morning Heartache” and “Pillow Talk”.
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Lou Donaldson – New Faces – New Sounds (1953/2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 24:39 minutes | 224 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Music Manager
Lou Donaldson’s New Faces New Sounds plays a considerable part in the evolution of hard bop, not only for its introduction of future trumpet star Clifford Brown. As journalist Marc “Jazzwax” Myers suggested, something’s going on with Bellarosa, the last track of the Blue Note 10 inch, which was recorded on June 9, 1953.
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Lou Donaldson – Mr. Shing-A-Ling (1968/2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 37:44 minutes | 719 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Mr. Shing-A-Ling, the follow up album to Lou Donaldson’s hit album Alligator Boogaloo, has long been considered the best of Donaldson’s funk/soul albums from the late-60s. One listen will tell you why: the incredible grooves on this album are simply irresistible and the alto saxophonist is backed by a who’s who of great soul jazz players including Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Dr. Lonnie Smith on Hammond B-3 organ, Jimmy “Fats” Ponder on guitar, and the great Leo Smith (aka Idris Muhammad) on drums.
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Lou Donaldson – Lou Takes Off (1958/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 38:13 minutes | 1,29 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
This 1958 release marks a period in Lou Donaldson’s development prior to a stylistic shift away from bop and toward a stronger rhythm and blues emphasis. Three uptempo tunes here are pure bebop; the remaining number is a medium blues piece, quite characteristic of the hard bop period. The front line on this set includes Donald Byrd and Curtis Fuller with the rhythm section of Sonny Clark, George Joyner and Art Taylor.
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Lou Donaldson – Light-Foot (1959/2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 40:20 minutes | 1,77 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Blue Note Records
Jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldon’s 1959 Blue Note release. Light-Foot is his seventh studio album recording as a leader, the album features his Quintet comprised of Herman Foster, Peck Morrison, Jimmy Wormsworth and Ray Barretto. The record features some original compositions by Donaldson along with titles by Ray Charles, Herman Foster and other jazz composers.
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Lou Donaldson – Cool Blues (1961/2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:11:01 minutes | 1,38 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla
This release presents Lou Donaldson’s complete original LP Here ’Tis (Blue Note BST84066), which marks the first of his six recording sessions with the brilliant guitarist Grant Green. The group is complemented by organist Baby Face Willette (with whom Donaldson would never record again), and drummer Dave Bailey. Also included here is a complete session recorded by Donaldson and Green shortly after in the same format, but this time with Brother Jack McDuff on organ (with whom the saxophonist would never collaborate again), and Joe Dukes on drums.
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Lou Donaldson – Blues Walk (1958/2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 34:11 minutes | 655 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © RevOla
Lou Donaldson’s undisputed masterpiece, Blues Walk, marks the point where the altoist began to decisively modify his heavy Charlie Parker influence and add a smoky, bluesy flavor of his own. The material is still firmly in the bebop vein, and the mellower moments aren’t as sleepy as some of Donaldson’s subsequent work, so the album sounds vital and distinctive even as it slows down and loosens things up. That makes it the definitive release in Donaldson’s early, pre-soul-jazz period, but what elevates Blues Walk to classic status is its inviting warmth. Donaldson’s sweetly singing horn is ingratiating and melodic throughout the six selections, making even his most advanced ideas sound utterly good-natured and accessible. The easy-swinging title cut is a classic, arguably Donaldson’s signature tune even above his late-’60s soul-jazz hits, and his other two originals – “Play Ray” and “Callin’ All Cats” – are in largely the same vein. Elsewhere, Donaldson displays opposite extremes of his sound; the up-tempo bebop classic “Move” provokes his fieriest playing on the record, and his romantic version of “Autumn Nocturne” is simply lovely, a precursor to Lush Life. The addition of Ray Barretto on conga is a subtle masterstroke, adding just a bit more rhythmic heft to the relaxed swing. There are numerous likable records in Donaldson’s extensive catalog, but Blues Walk is the best of them all.
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Lou Donaldson – The Time Is Right (1959) [APO Remaster 2011]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 36:58 minutes | Scans included | 1,5 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Scans included | 706 MB
A soul survivor in every sense of the term, this alto saxophonist is 1 of the few remaining jazz artists who made a major impact on the jazz community via an extensive run with producer Alfred Lion & the Blue Note label (Horace Silver being another Blue Note legend that comes to mind). From his 1st recordings for the label with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, it was clear that Lou Donaldson put melody & sound at a premium, coming up with an amalgam that combined the creamy smoothness of Johnny Hodges with the quicksilver bop inflections of Charlie Parker.
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