The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
Life is full of choices and the choice not to protect yourself should only impact you. As another surge is underway it is your responsibility to protect others from your irresponsible choices. For those of us who remain vigilant I say well done. So with that in mind, I feel I am selecting the right choice to open up this 2022 year.
Out of the stacks comes the studio album The Natural Soul by alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson. It was recorded on May 9, 1962 at the Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and released on Blue Note Records in March of 1963. The producer was Alfred Lion and the cover design was by Reid Miles of Capital Punishment. His use of lower case letters give this funky, greasy, soul jazz album suitably comfortable and informal.
Donaldson leaves his hard bop world to continue delving into the soul~jazz foray. He likes to groove and on this one he does just that. So sit back and enjoy the ride!
Tracks | Original LP ~ 41:54 w/CD Bonus Track ~ 49:07 All compositions by Lou Donaldson except where noted
- Funky Mama (Big John Patton) – 9:08
- Love Walked In (Gershwin, Gershwin) – 5:12
- Spaceman Twist – 5:38
- Sow Belly Blues – 10:13
- That’s All” (Alan Brandt, Bob Haymes) – 5:36
- Nice ‘n’ Greasy (John Adriano Acea) – 5:27
- People Will Say We’re in Love (Hammerstein II, Rodgers) – 7:53 (CD Bonus Track)
- Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
- Tommy Turrentine – trumpet
- Grant Green – guitar
- Big John Patton – organ
- Ben Dixon – drums
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