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Hot Dog Appreciation thread


Shawn

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Okay, I know this is one of the most derided Lou Donaldson albums....hell, some people seem to think this is one of the worst Blue Note albums of the era. My question is simply....why? I know that some people aren't thrilled with the varitone, but Lou sounds better than most, managing to keep his tone despite the electronics.

A couple tracks.

Turtle Walk. This is seriously one of the funkiest organ tracks EVER. It's the kind of tune that makes me want to dance around the room. Melvin Sparks is at his crystalline best, creating effortless motion. Then Earland comes in with another of his signature solos.

Hot Dog. Memorable enough to be revisited by The Greyboy Allstars some years back, but it would be damn hard to top this original take. Yet another brilliant Sparks solo (this cat was seriously ON during this date) followed by yet another brilliant Earland solo (the pedal tone throughout the solo is tastefully handled).

Not to even mention IDRIS MUHAMMAD...

Time to re-examine this sucker.

Edited by Shawn
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Hey Man...people can think what they want to, but...

This is one of THE greatest soul jazz records ever made. In my estimation there are 7 records by Lou Donaldson that are the foundation of the Acid Jazz movement as we know it, made in the Golden Era of this music which spanned from 1967 to 1972. They are in order...

Alligator Bogaloo

Mr. Shing-A-Ling

Midnight Creeper

Say It Loud

Hot Dog

Everything I Play Is Funky

Pretty Things

Every record listed above is hands down a classic. Sure, we can single out Hot Dog and take a look. First off, look at the players...Lou, Ed Williams (he's no Blue Mitchell, which is why I like Say It Loud a little better), Melvin Sparks and Leo (Idris). O.k...those guys INVENTED this stuff. They were writing the Bible Of Soul Jazz on things like Hot Dog. Listen to Lou play on the title cut...if Charlie Parker lived to play funk, this is what it would sound like. Charles Earland is so badass on the Lou albums he appeared on...he was a freight train.

5000 stars.

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I can't put it better than SoulStream has. This is one of Lou's classic albums that put what became known as Acid Jazz into top gear. They've all got their own character, so you might prefer one over others; no reason not to. My personal favourite is "Alligator bogaloo", which has ALWAYS done it for me. It's so perfectly cool and balanced.

PS "The scorpion".

MG

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Sorry Jim...didn't know 'bout them dogs fascination. And yeah MG....I think you hit the nail on the head, they all have their own flavor. It's hard to beat Alligator Bogaloo since it's basically the "perfect" record, if there is such a thing. But yeah, I dig 'em all! Be the first on your block to collect all 7! (And you're right about the Scorpion....I just didn't include it since it didn't come out at the time. But it could easily be included in the list as well as an arguement could be made for Cosmos too, which I love even with the voices)

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Allow me to take the other side, at least up to a point. I've owned this twice and gotten rid of it twice. I also have or have had Alligator, Midnight, Say it Loud, and compilations with tracks from most of the rest of Lou's output during this 'acid jazz' period (hate the term and it's an anachronism). To me this is the album were it starts to get too formulatic for me; it's not terrible but it's just just not nearly as good as the four before it or the best of what Egregious was doing with Grant at this time (compare their versions of "It's Your Thing"), much less what Grant and Lou had done together on Natural Soul, etc. It's a crying shame Lou and Grant didn't record together during this period, or better yet Lou, Grant and Stan. Does anyone know why Patton and Idris/Leo never recorded together? That's another what if I can't help thinking of. Melvin is good, but not as good as Green or Ponder for my money. and the cover is just, well, cheap is the polite way to put it...

On the other hand when one of the cuts comes up on a compilation or other context that allows me to listen in a less contenplative/comparative way, I generally enjoy the heck out of it!

Edited by danasgoodstuff
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hi. what is shitting out of your ass? i think this album is ok but i am surprised no one has mentioned cosmos. i think that is the best of these lou donaldson dates. and i do think on some of these albums, donaldson's tone can be a little weird (especially on ballad tunes) with the varitone. and i am a mellow and relaxed electronics fan. but his tone is a bit funky sometimes (or it is on pretty things, which i listened to yesterday).

but my point is i think cosmos is the best and that hasn't been mentioned here.

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I'm a Cosmos fan too...but I think it's more of an afterthought of the era than anything else. Those 7 albums are the meat and potatoes of the genre. But there's lots I dig about Cosmos too, especially Leon Spencer Jr.'s playing on "I'll Be There." Also, I'm a big fan of Lou's varitone...some don't dig it, but I think he had a great sound on it. Unlike Sonny Stitt, who seemed to get a pretty harsh, violin-like tone on the vari.

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I'm in total agreement with Soul Stream on the importance of these albums, they have been favorites of mine since the first time I heard Alligator Bogaloo. I would probably rank them in a slightly different order, but they are all worthwhile. The one I like the least is actually Midnight Creeper, which for some reason just doesn't sound like it gels quite the way the others do.

Discographical question: Does someone have the actual session info for Everything I Play Is Funky/Pretty Things? If I remember correctly it's two different sessions split across the two albums?

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Lou Donaldson Quintet

Melvin Lastie (cor -1/4,6) Lou Donaldson (as) Lonnie Smith (org) George Benson (g) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 7, 1967

1. 1867 tk.4 One Cylinder Blue Note BLP 4263

2. 1868 tk.6 Aw Shucks! -

3. 1869 tk.8 Alligator Bogaloo Blue Note 45-1934, BLP 4263

4. 1870 tk.15 Rev. Moses -

5. 1871 tk.17 I Want A Little Girl Blue Note BLP 4263

6. 1872 tk.18 The Thang -

* Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo (Blue Note BLP 4263, BST 84263)

* Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo c/w Reverend Moses (Blue Note 45-1934)

Lou Donaldson Quintet

Blue Mitchell (tp -2/5) Lou Donaldson (as) Lonnie Smith (org) Jimmy Ponder (g) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 27, 1967

1. 1971 tk.2 Ode To Billie Joe Blue Note BST 84271

2. 1972 tk.10 Peepin' Blue Note 45-1937, BST 84271, BST 89904

3. 1973 tk.16 The Kid Blue Note BST 84271

4. 1974 tk.17 The Shadow Of Your Smile -

5. 1975 tk.18 The Humpback Blue Note 45-1937, BST 84271

* Lou Donaldson - Mr. Shing-A-Ling (Blue Note BST 84271)

* Various Artists - Blue Note's Three Decades Of Jazz 1959-1969 (Blue Note BST 89904)

= Various Artists - Decades Of Jazz, Vol. 3 (Blue Note BN-LA 160-G2)

* Lou Donaldson - Peepin' c/w The Humpback (Blue Note 45-1937)

1968

Lou Donaldson Quintet

Blue Mitchell (tp -2/5) Lou Donaldson (as) Lonnie Smith (org) George Benson (g) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, March 15, 1968

1. tk.4 Elizabeth Blue Note BST 84280

2. tk.8 Dapper Dan -

3. tk.11 Love Power Blue Note 45-1941, BST 84280

4. tk.14 Midnight Creeper -

5. tk.17 Bag Of Jewels Blue Note BST 84280

* Lou Donaldson - Midnight Creeper (Blue Note BST 84280)

* Lou Donaldson - Midnight Creeper c/w Love Power (Blue Note 45-1941)

Lou Donaldson Quintet

Blue Mitchell (tp) Lou Donaldson (el-as, vo) Charles Earland (org) Jimmy Ponder (g) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 6, 1968

tk.1 Brother Soul (alt. take) Blue Note B1 31883

tk.2 Brother Soul Blue Note BST 84299

tk.3 Snake Bone Blue Note 45-1943, BST 84299

tk.8 Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud -

tk.10 Caravan Blue Note BST 84299

tk.12 Summertime -

tk.16 Red Top unissued

* Various Artists - The Lost Grooves (Blue Note B1 31883)

* Lou Donaldson - Say It Loud! (Blue Note BST 84299)

* Lou Donaldson - Say It Loud c/w Snake Bone (Blue Note 45-1943)

1969

Lou Donaldson Quintet

Ed Williams (tp) Lou Donaldson (el-as, vo) Charles Earland (org) Melvin Sparks (g) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 25, 1969

tk.1 Turtle Walk Blue Note BST 84318

tk.4 It's Your Thing -

tk.8 Hot Dog Blue Note 45-1949, BST 84318

tk.11 Who's Making Love (To Your Old Lady) -

tk.14 Bonnie Blue Note BST 84318

* Lou Donaldson - Hot Dog (Blue Note BST 84318)

* Lou Donaldson - Hot Dog c/w Who's Making Love (Blue Note 45-1949)

Lou Donaldson Sextet

Ed Williams (tp) Lou Donaldson (as, el-as) Charles Earland (org) Melvin Sparks (g) Jimmy Lewis (el-b) Leo Morris (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 22, 1969

5027 tk.4 Donkey Walk Blue Note BST 84337

5028 tk.6 Untitled Original Blues, No. 1 rejected

5029 tk.8 West Indian Daddy Blue Note BST 84337

tk.10 Untitled Original Blues, No. 2 rejected

tk.12 Candy Man -

* Lou Donaldson - Everything I Play Is Funky (Blue Note BST 84337)

1970

Lou Donaldson Sextet

Blue Mitchell (tp) Lou Donaldson (el-as, vo) Lonnie Smith (org) Melvin Sparks (g) Jimmy Lewis (el-b) Idris Muhammad (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 9, 1970

5760 Tennessee Waltz Blue Note BST 84359

5761 tk.8 Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On) Blue Note 45-1956, BST 84337

tk.10 Untitled Original Blues rejected

5762 tk.12 Over The Rainbow Blue Note BST 84337

5764 tk.14 Hamp's Hump -

5763 tk.16 Minor Bash Blue Note 45-1956, BST 84337

* Lou Donaldson - Pretty Things (Blue Note BST 84359)

* Lou Donaldson - Everything I Play Is Funky (Blue Note BST 84337)

* Lou Donaldson - Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky c/w Minor Bash (Blue Note 45-1956)

Lou Donaldson Quintet

Blue Mitchell (tp) Lou Donaldson (el-as) Leon Spencer Jr. (org) Ted Dunbar (g) Idris Muhammad (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, June 12, 1970

6520 (tk.3) Curtis' Song Blue Note BST 84359

6521 (tk.6) Love -

6522 Cold Duck rejected

6523 (tk.7) Sassie Lassie Blue Note BST 84359

6524 Just For A Thrill -

6525 Pot Belly -

* Lou Donaldson - Pretty Things (Blue Note BST 84359)

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we're living in the Bizarro Music World here, right? or I'm dreaming - or I forgot to take my meds today - or I shouldn't have taken those 18 sleeping pills last night - or Kenny G has been elected President - or Dan Gould is heading the new Commission to Investigate the Assassination of JFK - or CHEWY is my new psychiatrist - or Berigan is my mohl -

or -

some people here are saying that HOT DOG isn't a piece of poop - which it is -

well, it used to be a free country - now I can understand why we need the Patriot Act - freedom is too much for you guys, you can't handle it, you need smart guys like me and Chuck to keep you straight -

and did I forget to mention - Hot Dog is a piece of POOP - ?

just my opinion, of course -

Edited by AllenLowe
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we're living in the Bizarro Music World here, right? or I'm dreaming - or I forgot to take my meds today - or I shouldn't have taken those 18 sleeping pills last night - or Kenny G has been elected President - or Dan Gould is heading the new Commission to Investigate the Assassination of JFK - or CHEWY is my new psychiatrist - or Berigan is my brand new congressional representative -

or -

some people here are saying that HOT DOG isn't a piece of poop - which it is -

well, it used to be a free country - now I can understand why we need the Patriot Act - freedom is too much for you guys, you can't handle it, you need smart guys like me and Chuck to keep you straight -

and did I forget to mention - Hot Dog is a piece of POOP - ?

just my opinion, of course -

Well, we all know what opinions are like....

...and the last time I checked it's the same place POOP comes from.

:cool:

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