Lou Donaldson Quartet featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith
12 July 2008 | Missouri | 21:30 - 22:45 |


Line-up:
Lou Donaldson (alto sax); Randy Johnston (guitar); Dr. Lonnie Smith (Hammond B3 organ); Fukushi Tainaka (drums).
About Lou Donaldson Quartet featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith
The greatness of alto sax player Lou Donaldson was confirmed
again, thanks to Rudy van Gelder's re-issuing of the classics A
Night at Birdland Vols. 1 + 2, by the Art Blakey Quintet
(predecessors of The Jazz Messengers). Especially in the piece
Lou's Blues you can hear this musician really added more depth to
hard bop at the time. Donaldson scored two hit singles with his
funky album Alligator Boogaloo and he was frequently played on
R&B radio stations. In the eighties he returned to the hard-bop
scene. And he is still very welcome there these days, although the
veteran is not afraid to make a side-step into soul jazz, as he did
with organ player Dr. Lonnie Smith. Smith did not receive a
doctorate from university but from his fellow musicians. When a
band didn't really swing or lacked inspiration, this keyboard
wizard came up with a remedy. In 1969 the king of the Hammond B3
organ was pronounced an ace organist and ever since people have
been awed when they hear his name. Not only did Smith acquire
acclaim as the sideman of guitarist George Benson, he also proved
his own worth by recording over thirty solo albums in his own
right.
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