Customer Reviews

Lou Takes Off (Limited Edition)

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

 

 

Available previously only as an expensive import or as part of a limited edition Mosaic Records box set, alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson's "Lou Takes Off" has finally launched in the States as a new RVG title. Many of Lou's 60s soul jazz and funky boogaloo albums have been readily available for some time, but I have always prefered to hear him in a late 50s hard bop jam session like this one. Recorded on December 15, 1957, "Lou Takes Off" features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, George Joyner on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The album features two original extended compositions by LD -- "Sputnik" and "Strollin' In" -- and shorter accounts of Charlie Parker's "Dewey Square" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High." Along with the still out-of-print "Wailing With Lou" (where he is also paired with Byrd), this is my favorite Donaldson Blue Note. Hopefully with this reissue, Lou's profile will take off with a new generation of jazz fan, and we'll get to see more of his classic albums on CD for the first time.

This was Lou's third album for Blue Note in 1957, the other two being Wailing With Lou and Swing and Soul. A great hard bop outing with a bit of straight bebop that comes highly recommended.

Lou Donaldson (alto sax)
Donald Byrd (trumpet)
Curtis Fuller (trombone)
Sonny Clark (piano)
George Joyner (bass)
Art Taylor (drums)

I'm so glad this album is finally available on CD! I recently discovered Lou Donaldson, and I'm so very glad I did. This album is a fast-paced session that really cooks, and with only 4 songs, there is plenty of time for inspired solos from all of the players involved.

The horn section is made up of Donaldson on alto sax, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone. The rhythm section: Sonny Clark on piano, Jamil Nasser on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. This is an excellent line up, and all of the players are in fine form throughout. Donaldson shows the influence of Charlie Parker (what sax player doesn't?) combined with Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter. Donaldson's solos are often blazingly fast and very enjoyable to listen to (and he even sneaks a couple of Bird's licks in). Donald Byrd, as always, is a remarkable side-man ready to add some inpsired and bluesy playing. Curtis Fuller is also on top of his game on this session, and has some particularly inspired solos. The rhythm section is a tight unit that keeps the fire going under the other members.

The album starts (takes?) off with a Donaldson original "Sputnik," which is a fast & lively Bop tune based loosely on "What is this thing called love?" All of the solos are drenched in Bebop roots and the Bird and Diz influence shine through even the bluesiest solo, and special props to the rhythm section for keeping this song cook for 10 minutes. "Dewey Square" is a Charlie Parker tune which features Art Taylor a little more. "Strollin' In" is a more laid-back, bluesy song, featuring more relaxed solos. "Groovin' High," a Dizzy Gillespie song, features some more memorable solos, especially from Donaldson and Clark.

This is a great album, and I urge you to listen. This is an example of a post-Parker alto sax player following in his steps, backed up by stellar group of musicians. Hard Bop at its near-best!

Behind Charlie Parker and Jackie McLean comes Lou Donaldson in third place so if you have room for him fit him into your busy schedule. This album is worth the price of admission for the cover art alone. Dig that crazy rocket from Russia that beat us into space!

I have tremendous respect for Donald Byrd, Sonny Clark, Curtis Fuller, George Joyner, and Art Taylor, but this particular session with alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson is very uninspired. Every musician has good days and bad days and unfortunately this was one of the bad days. There's really nothing melodic, harmonic, or rhythmically interesting about this recording. It just sounds like one person taking turns blowing a bunch of nonsense. All of the musicians can blow, but just because you can blow, doesn't mean you should do it all the time. The best jazz musicians build improvisations based on little themes and ideas that happened in a composition's main melody.