Lou Donaldson - Blues Walk (1958)/Gravy Train (1962)/Lou Takes Off (1958)/Here 'Tis (1961)

UK Import

2017 compilation of four albums by saxophonist "Sweet Poppa Lou" Donaldson. All 4 albums recorded by Rudy Van Gelder for the Blue Note label in the late '50s/early '60s. I was previously unfamiliar with the British Avid label, but it appears they (quite understandably) took full advantage of the length of copyright laws in Europe (50 years). However, this package isn't a shoddy production. Albums have been remastered and the original liner notes are included. When I grab this set, I normally pick just one of the two CDs to spin. The disc I choose varies, but at 75+ minutes per disc, the length is usually perfect for me.

In 2013, Donaldson was honored as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts and has been inducted into the The International Jazz Hall Of Fame.

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BLUES WALK (1958)
6 tracks, 34 minutes

An album during Donaldson's transition from hard bop to R&B/soul-jazz, so there's a variety of tracks to be found here, from the bebop of Move to the bluesy title track.

Original 1958 liner notes written by Ira Gitler, jazz historian and journalist.

Donaldson - alto sax
Herman Foster - piano
John "Peck" Morrison - bass
Dave Bailey - drums
Ray Barretto - congas

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard (★★★): "Good solid jazz here"
• CashBox: "Sturdy jazz performances"
• DownBeat (★★★): "In some respects, this is the most interesting Donaldson recital I have heard"
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000) (★★½): the material is rather dull"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: It's a great listen from top-to-bottom, but of the six offerings here, my top picks are the standards The Masquerade is Over (written 1939), and Autumn Nocturne (written 1941), plus the title track, a Donaldson original.

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GRAVY TRAIN (1962)
7 tracks, 44 minutes

A more commercial effort in which Donaldson and crew cover a number of popular tunes from the '30s and '40s with varying degrees of success. An enjoyable album, nevertheless.

Original 1962 liner notes written by Joe Goldberg, noted jazz author.

Donaldson - alto sax
Herman Foster - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Dave Bailey - drums
Alec Dorsey - congas

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "swings away with carefree abandon"
• CashBox: "Donaldson has developed a free-flowing style in the modern mainstream that is all his own"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed., 2008): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: The more successful cuts here are the ballad Polka Dots And Moonbeams and the two groovin' originals, Twist Time and the title track. Less successful are South Of The Border and Avalon.

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LOU TAKES OFF (1958)
4 tracks, 39 minutes

This album records Donaldson in his hard bop days, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker. Notable for the inclusion of two extra horn players, Donald Byrd and Curtis Fuller. An aptly titled album, this music swings and it swings hard.

Original 1958 liner notes written by Robert Levin, writer of liner notes for over 100 Blue Note albums.

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

Reviews/ratings:

• High Fidelity: "Some furious and, considering the tempos, surprisingly coherent playing by a group that shows moments of hotheaded genius"
• DownBeat (★★★★): "A very good blowing set by the Young Turks of New York"
• Billboard (★★): "a hard-driving set"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Four cuts here, including two originals by Donaldson: the breakneck opener, Sputnik, plus the bluesy Strollin' In. Also covers of bop tunes by Charlie Parker (Dewey Square) and Dizzy Gillespie (Groovin' High). The best bets are Dewey Square and Strollin' In.

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HERE 'TIS (1961)
5 tracks, 39 minutes

Maybe my favorite of the four albums in this set, probably because of the use of drawbar organ and the wonderful playing of Grant Green - a great choice of instrumentation and it pays off. The ad below claims this is "a Groovy Album" and I am here to confirm that assertion.

Original 1961 liner notes written by Levin.

Donaldson - alto sax
Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette - organ
Grant Green - guitar
Dave Bailey - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• Stereo Review: "jazz of a spontaneous but fairly routine level"
• CashBox: "the group shows itself to be a superior blending of musical talents"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Five swingin' soul-jazz cuts including three Donaldson originals. We're treated to a cover of the Gershwins' A Foggy Day plus four 12-bar blues tunes. All recommended.

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