Lou Donaldson C. 1953

[Peter Friedman]

Was listening this morning to "Clifford Brown - Memorial Album" on Blue Note.  This 1953 session has some truly fine alto playing by Lou Donaldson. There is no question (to me) that Lou was playing Bird inspired Bebop on this date.

This may be my favorite  Lou Donaldson playing on record . Lou also played in that style with Art Blakey, and perhaps as well on some of the early  Jimmy Smith albums. 

But at some point Donaldson's played changed, and that earlier Bebop - Bird influenced style seemed to fade from his alto work. Perhaps (?)  he discovered that he could appeal to a broader audience and benefit economically by moving into a Soul Jazz  style.

While I can enjoy some of his later playing, it is that Bebop oriented playing from  that 1953 Blue Note date that stands out for me as the pinnacle of Lou Donaldson's recorded work.

 

[Big Beat Steve]

Where, more exactly, would you draw the line between this "earlier" phase and the later period when you feel his playing changed and moved towards Soul Jazz?

Just wondering ...

[jazzbo]

In my listening I don't think he ever really "abandoned Bird" but moved with the music and market into a harder bop and a more soulful style. I hear bebop foundation still there, with the newer beats and expressiveness. I wonder sometimes where Bird himself would have landed if he could have miraculously been healthier and played on a few decades. . . .

[Dan Gould]

I am mostly with Lon on this ... and certainly Lou remained in Bird's thrall if the latter 30-40 years of performances are any indication.  His setlists included the inevitable soul jazz hits but also copious amounts of Charlie Parker bebop. No Fusion of Con-fusion whatsoever.

[JSngry]

He realized that he was Lou Donaldson and not Charlie Parker.

[medjuck]

I agree with Peter.  I liked it when he thought he was Charlie Parker.  I remember being really impressed by his work with Blakey. 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I am very fond of Lou's "Blues Walk". I am really glad that i got to see Lou so many times before he retired. He had a great stage presence, even if he repeated a lot of the same stories year after year.

That said, I do appreciate the earlier Clifford Brown & Art Blakey dates too. Lou did too. He was not bashful about it.

[JSngry]

Sometimes I think I'm Sherlock Holmes. But I'm not, and nothing will ever make it so.