JBryan Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 I'm heading down to Annapolis this Saturday to see the Lou Donaldson Quartet (sans Lonnie Smith on the B3 - drat!). When I first heard that he was coming to town, I jumped on the tickets but I checked this am and the Rams Head Tavern is still only half-filled. What's up with that? I realize that Annapolis isn't a hot bed of jazz (Charlie Byrd was the biggest draw until he passed away) but being only 20 minutes from Baltimore and less than an hour from DC, I'm a bit taken back by the response. It doesn't seem that he's playing anywhere else close by so what am I missing here - is he too old to hold his sax anymore? Maybe word of his gig hasn't gotten around yet. I read good reviews from his gig at this year's Bonnaroo Festival (w/Dr. Smith). Is anybody from the Forum planning to go...maybe looking for a lift to the show? Just checking in -Bryan Here's the link... http://tickets.ramsheadonstage.com/ordertickets.asp?p=320&backurl=default.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 First I've heard of the show. Thanks for the heads up Bryan. I'll have to ask the wife what we have planned. Maybe I'll see you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Bryan - Where are you sitting? There are PLENTY of seat left. I'll find something close to you if I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Double Post - edit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 Hey Gary, I knew you'd have an interest in checking out an old Blue Note sax player. I have a seat at table 105 or 106 but I can give it up if you want to get a table together. 302 and 300 are good bets as are 502 and 700. Let me know if you're going and how many will join us and I'll get the tix. Hope you can make it - anybody else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Bryan, I just played Blues Walk for my wife so she's in. We'll have to meet you there since we'll be at her folks in Silver Spring Saturday. Let me know the details or I'll give you a call tomorrow. I think I still have your cell programmed. Looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Interesting interview from about a year ago. Lou tells it like it is! Born in Badin, North Carolina on Nov. 1, 1926, Lou Donaldson is still going strong at the age of 79, playing the same brand of soulful, swinging jazz that established him as one of the most popular alto saxophonists to ever record for the famed Blue Note label. Donaldson, who recorded for Blue Note from 1952 to 1963 before briefly moving to the Chess label subsidiaries Argo and Cadet from 1964 to 66, was an early disciple of the legendary Charlie Parker. But Parkers influence faded as Donaldson began to develop his own distinctive approacha bluesy, soulful sound that used organ and guitar as an essential foundation for his sax playing. Donaldson made his Blue Note debut on a Milt Jackson recording, then followed with his first recording as a leader, featuring Horace Silver, Gene Ramey and Art Taylor. Donaldson also recorded with Thelonious Monk, and co-led a quintet recording with Clifford Brown in 1953. The following year he was part of the legendary live recordings, A Night At Birdland, Vols. I & II, along with Brown, Silver, Art Blakey and Tommy Potter. Donaldsons memorable tune, Blues Walk, became a major crossover hit in 1958, and subsequent albums such as Alligator Boogaloo (marking his first collaboration with organist Dr. Lonnie Smith) produced crossover hits as well. Today, Donaldson continues to tour Europe, Japan and the U.S., still laying down the soul-groove sound he perfected decades ago. And as youll see in this interview, Donaldsons comments are straight ahead with no-holds-barred just like his music. All About Jazz: Growing up in North Carolina, you started out playing the clarinet. How did you end up playing alto saxophone? Lou Donaldson: My mom taught piano, and I didnt really like playing it, so I started playing clarinet. And I actually kept up with that instrument, playing it in the marching band at North Carolina A&T College in Greensboro. Then I went into the Navy in 1945 and auditioned to get into the marching band playing the clarinet. But they also had a dance band, and the guy at the audition asked me if I could play alto saxophone. Naturally, I told him yeah, because I wanted to make sure I got in the band. I had never even touched an alto sax before, but I guess because I played the clarinet so well, he never asked me to play the sax for himhe just gave me one. So I went back to barracks with it and started to practice. By the time I actually had to play it in the dance band, Id gotten to the point where I could play it pretty well. AAJ: After your Navy service, when did you decide to focus on alto sax instead of clarinet? LD: Well, I went back to A&T to get my degree in political science, and I kept playing both instruments, but mainly the clarinet. But I ended up switching to sax because of a baseball injury. I was a good baseball player, if I say so myself. But back then they wouldnt even let a black cat in a big league ballpark. Anyway, I was a third baseman and a ball ricocheted off a rock during a game and smashed my little finger. We had more rocks on our infield than dirt, I think. So when I tried to play clarinet, I kept getting a squeak because my puffed-up finger couldnt cover the hole. So thats when I decided to switch to alto sax. And thats also when I decided to give up baseball and concentrate on music. AAJ: How did you end up getting from Greensboro to New York City? LD: I started playing with a show band in clubs in Greensboro, and guys like Illinois Jacquet and Dizzy Gillespie would come through. Id go and sit in with them, and they liked my playing and kept encouraging me to come to New York. But I was kind of afraidI thought I wasnt good enough. But finally in 1950 I decided to make the move to New York. And it turned out I really didnt have a problem, because Id already met so many musicians in Greensboro and was able to use those connections. I was living in Harlem, so I started off auditioning at clubs there and I had no problem at all getting going. AAJ: Like most alto sax players in the early 1950s, you were often compared to Charlie Parker, and a lot of critics say your sound was shaped by his approach. Whats your view on that? LD: Well, I had heard plenty of saxophone players before I heard him. I heard Johnny Hodges, Pete Brown, Tab Smith, Benny Carter, a lot of people. But once I heard Charlie Parker, he was so dominant, he influenced me a lot at that time. Eventually I developed my own style, but theres no doubt he was the best. I actually got my record deal with Blue Note because of Bird. I was playing at Mintons Playhouse and Alfred Lion heard me playing like Parker and offered me a recording date. It was a session that featured a group that ended up being the Modern Jazz QuartetMilt Jackson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. Then we did sessions that included Art Blakey and Horace Silver and a few others. AAJ: In addition to the musicians who were on that recording, you played and recorded with some other legendary musicians in those early yearsThelonious Monk, Clifford Brown and quite a few others. LD: Yeah, I worked for a little while with Monk.... as much as you could work with him. He was a weird guy. I played a lot with Milt Jackson in those days too. And a lot of those other guys like Art Blakey and Horace Silver were assembled for a session for Blue Note Records. I was already with Blue Note at that time, so I ended up bringing a lot of guys to the labelincluding Clifford Brown. AAJ: How did you end up getting Clifford Brown to Blue Note? LD: Well, a lot of people think otherwise about how Clifford got to New York, but you know how this business is. A lot of things happen that certain people get credit for, and it turns out they really didnt know anything about it. I was on tour in Wilmington, Delaware and I happened to see Clifford in an R&B band called Chris Powell and the Blue Flames. Id heard about himback then musicians would really spread the word about guys who could play. After hearing him, I went up to him and told him, You need to make a record date. Come on and lets go to New York. And he did. AAJ: Who are some of the other musicians you helped record on Blue Noteor get them wider recognition? LD: I got Grant Green to Blue Noteand Stanley Turrentine too. I heard Stanley playing with a group called the Three Sounds, and I got Blue Note to sign them. I heard Grant playing in a club in East St. Louis that happened to be called the Blue Note. I played a lot in St. Louis when Gaslight Square was happening. There was a disk jockey then called Spider Burke, and he used my tune Blues Walk as his theme song, so I had that going for me. Anyway, the St. Louis clubs closed at 2 a.m. and the East St. Louis clubs stayed open until 5 or 6 a.m., so Id head over there to eat after I finished playing. Thats where I saw Grant and met him. I was a little reluctant to do anything with him because frankly, he was strung out. But I thought as good as this cat is playing, maybe I could handle it. So Ibrought him to New York and he really did well. AAJ: You were also one of the first mainstream jazz group leaders to incorporate Latin percussion in your group when you added Ray Barreto to your band. How did that come about? LD: I think I was the first one to use a conga player in a mainstream jazz group. I had acouple of dates and the first drummer I used who shall remain namelessshowed up high and couldnt keep time when he played, His replacement showed up high too and had the same problem. I just got disgusted and said that we werent going to have this. I knew we werent going to sell any records if we couldnt lay down that rhythm. Because the pulse is what really brings people to the musiceven rap musicians are smart enough to make a rhythm track first. Unfortunately, they start rapping on top of it. I cant understand anything they say except the cursingI can understand that! Anyway, I used to see Ray Barreto all the time in the clubs and he kept asking to sit in. So I thought of him, called him up and he joined the band. It really worked out great. AAJ: You developed a soundespecially with your 1960s Argo and Blue Note recordings like Signifyin, Alligator Boogaloo and The Midnight Creeperthat expanded the blues-based jazz organ trio sound and made it a little funkier as well. That sound still has a strong appeal, judging from the way the reissues of those recordings continue to selland the fact that rappers have sampled a lot of your music as well. How do you explain that continued popularity? LD: Well, first of all, I dont think my music was really funk. Put that music out against James Brown and Earth, Wind & Fire and youll see that that its not really funkits just music that swings. Its really groove music thats made for people to dance to. Thats what jazz used to be about. But whats also essential is that my music has a blues flavor, because when you get down to it, thats what jazz is. And thats the problem with a lot of music today... theres no blues feeling. Blues is the backbone, and if you dont have it in jazz its like taking sugar out of a cake. So I think thats why my old music still sells, because it has blues feeling and it swings. Selected Discography Lou Donaldson, Relaxing on the Sea: Live on the QE2 (Chiaroscuro, 2000)Lou Donaldson, Caracas (Milestone, 1993)Lou Donaldson, Play the Right Thing (Milestone, 1990)Lou Donaldson, Back StreetMuse, 1982Lou Donaldson, Sweet Lou (Blue Note, 1974)Lou Donaldson, Sassy Soul Strut (Blue Note, 1973)Lou Donaldson, Sophisticated Lou (Blue Note, 1972)Lou Donaldson, Everything I Play is Funky (Blue Note, 1969)Lou Donaldson, The Midnight Creeper (Blue Note, 1968)Lou Donaldson, Lush Life (Blue Note, 1967)Lou Donaldson, Good Gracious! (Blue Note, 1963)Lou Donaldson, The Natural Soul (Blue Note, 1962)Lou Donaldson, Here 'Tis (Blue Note, 1961)Lou Donaldson, LD+3: Lou Donaldson with the Three Sounds (Blue Note, 1959)Lou Donaldson, Blues Walk (Blue Note, 1958)Lou Donaldson, New Faces, New Sounds Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1953)Lou Donaldson, The Lou Donaldson Quartet/Quintet/Sextet (Blue Note, 1952) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 One of my favorite covers! Damn, I wish I were closer. I bet Lou can still blow and he's sure to put on a funky show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I've heard Lou live a number of times. He'll start the show with Blues Walk--at least he has every time I've heard him play. I hope there's a B3 on the stage. He will also sing a couple of tunes--funny raunchy blues stuff. He blows the freaking roof off when he does Gene Ammons' "Red Top"-he and Lonnie practically burned the Bakery down the last time I heard them there--closing out the second set with a 15 minute version. What a classic blowing vehicle! I sure wish I could be there . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonialHoo Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Would love to make it up there for this show, but it won't happen. Have a great time guys. Now, a few questions for Gary, Allan and others. I'd love to pick up a few of his LPs to enjoy at home. What are the better titles to start with (2 or 3 if possible)? And should I stick with Blue Notes? Thanks in advance - Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Allan - There will be a B3 on stage, someone I've never heard of. It's not too late to hop on a plane Chuck - I only have about 6 or 7 of his LPs so Allan would be the man to ask but you can't go wrong with any of his first 5 BNs. Of course Blues Walk is a classic. LD+3 might have a bit of what Craig and others call "random horn blowing" on a few tunes but I love that album also. Lou takes off is great and is available on Classic Records (some of the others probably are also). Here 'Tis is another great one with Baby Face Willett. Just start with his 50s releases (through early 60s) and you can't go wrong. Edit: I thought it was funny reading that interview when he says his music really wasn't funk. Then you look at the list of albums he put out and one from 1969 is called "Everything I play Is Funky" - LMAO. I happen to own that LP. Probably played it once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Have a great concert. Look forward to hearing him as part of Dr. Lonnie Smith's Trio w/ Houston Person and David "Fathead" Newman in January @ Duke Univ. http://www.myspace.com/loudonaldson1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Gary, can you stop by sometime with a prime-sounding Donaldson LP? If you think I can adapt, that is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Gary, can you stop by sometime with a prime-sounding Donaldson LP? If you think I can adapt, that is? You bet. I have a really nice Mono Japanese pressing of Blues Walk I can drop off tomorrow. I can almost guarantee you won't like it although stranger things have happened One of these days I'll find one you like!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 See you tomorrow. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 If my Aunt & Uncle from PA wern't heading out this way on Saturday I'd Price Line my way in and join you guys. (I don't really get the funky thing. Lou may think he's a funky kind of guy (probably is) but his music isn't what I'd call funk.) Anyway. "Blues Walk" is fantastic but I like "Good Gracious" as well. Maybe it's because Big Jon Patton is on the B3. If I recall, Grant Green is on that date too! The "good Gracious" cover is just hilarious! BTW G-man - I haven't forgotten about Cal. Actually I did so thanks for te reminder.[:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Scott, Your aunt & uncle will still be there after Sat. How many more chances will you have to see Lou Donaldson!! I just counted and I have NINE LD albums! I just might have to play "Funky" tonight. I already listened to Here 'Tis with Grant Green & Baby Face. What a great album! I have Allan's old original deep groove pressing (if I remember correctly). It's a real nice copy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Gary - Had we known about this I probably could have pulled it off. I could have gotten a one way to BWI, had you run me half way up to Wilmington, had my brother run me up to PA and then I could have driven my Aunt & Uncle out here. Problem is, it's the 11th hour, I got bad news from the MRI and have to meet with the Orthopod before he goes on vacation next week. Besides, Sunday I turn a year older and Susan has invited a few friends over. I sure hope you all enjoy it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Sorry to hear about the shoulder. I hope it isn't too horrible but I'm getting a bad vibe from your post. Enjoy your birthday! What are you, 40? 41? As far as the show, Allan already ruined it by giving us the song list in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 You can break down Lou Donaldson's career into two halves--the first half was BEFORE he discovered Grant Green and Baby Face WIllette (he brought both of them to Blue Note--he picked up Green in St. Louis and Willette in Chicago and brought both of them to New York and Blue Note). The first part of his career Donaldson played FURIOUS bebop in the Charlie Parker tradition with a heavy dose of the blues. Listen to his playing of the Blakey Birldand LPs and his first 2-3 Blue Notes as a leader. The first sign of things to come was when Herman Foster joined his band, a player DEEPLY rooted in the church and the blues with no end to "funk" in his playing--the best record Lou made with Foster was "Blues Walk"--a perfect album--every tune and every performance is spot on--earthy, bluesy, enven funky at times but still bebop at the core. And check out his playing on the bop standard "Mopve"-talk about ON FIRE!! Still makes me do a double take every time I play the record--and I play it several times per year. About 2-3 years after Blues Walk came Here 'Tis," the first LP with a B3 organ and guitar, an album that is just as perfect as "Blues Walk." Lou still throuws off his bebop licks from time to time, incorporating them into a MASSIVE soul-jazz groove laid down by Baby Face WIllette and Grant Green. Willette was really a B3 master and was sadly underrecorded and underappreciated--his slow blues grooves burn so hot and dig so deep . . .and Grant Green? Well, what can you say? Lou went on to make a string of records for both Blue Note and Argo in the same vein--with Big John Patton, Billy Gardner or Lonnie Smith on the B3 and several differnt guitar players ( including Melvin Sparks and George Benson) and drummers . . . After a while they started to all sound the same--which is not to say they aren't FINE records, but that they're really not essential. Lou had a top-40 hit in 1967 with "Alligator Boogaloo," a real throw-away groove cut that became wildly popular--especially on juke boxes in the inner city. Lou still plays it at just about evey gig. What to buy? Well, if you have to get only a couple--pick up Blues Walk and Here 'Tis--they're his best two albums--by a long shot, really . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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