Customer Reviews

Live: Fried Buzzard

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you've had the great privelage of meeting Lou Donaldson, you've probably picked up on the fact that he's a warm and sincere human being with a nack for telling humorous anecdotes. This is also the Lou Donaldson you hear on his CDs... he's the same man on and off the bandstand - - he's the real thing, and that's why he's so good at playing into the energy of the room. He CAN play CHARLIE PARKER solos note for note, but he's also quite content dishin'out the grits 'n soul and knows he's good at that. - - This album features some heavy swingin' heart palpitating organ grinding by the late Billy Gardner. This set wasn't the performance of a lifetime, it was a typical evening with LOU... and believe me that's good enough, because with Lou, you're guarenteed customer satisfaction. You get the impression that the set was recorded at some small overpacked afterhours NYC dive, the drinks are flowing and everyone is up and dancing. Try doing that at the Village Vanguard and you'll get your *ss booted... so go out and get this album, enjoy it, and pretend your back in the day when Jazz was also toe tappin, body movin' and inebratory music, then check out some of these albums which have a similar groove : GRANT GREEN ALIVE, BLUES FOR LOU and AT THE LIGHT HOUSE, LONNIE SMITH LIVE AT CLUB MOZAMBIQUE, JOHN PATTON's Let 'em Roll and of course get some of that HOT BARBEQUE with McDuff. Of course MACEO PARKER and CHARLIE HUNTER are bringing that sound into the '90s, though Lou is still around (he even has a live webcast) and touring with the likes of LONNIE SMITH, Idris Muhammed and Peter Bernstein, so why settle for a tofu burger when you can have FRIED BUZZARD !

I agree with everything the previous reviewer says. But he forgot to mention the trumpet player here: the late Bill Hardman. You haven't heard of him? You are not alone. Suffice it to say, if you were to name the most neglected trumpet players in jazz history, Bill would be at the top. Other jazz musicians value Bill. He has played with Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Junior Cook, etc. He has recorded rarely under his own name. (See my review of his "Politely.")
This live 1965 recording made in Buffalo NY is fun. The more I learn about Lou Donaldson, the more I admire his character. He is still alive and playing as I write this! He has managed to avoid the bad habits that have killed many of our jazz giants, especially drugs. Long live Lou.!