Bistro welcomes alto veteran Nov. 30-Dec. 3
By Roscoe Crenshaw
For the St. Louis American
Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson returns to Jazz at the Bistro on Wednesday, November 30 for 4 nights of funky blues and bop. The ageless marvel, now in his mid-70s, has been thrilling audiences since his Blue Note label debut in 1952 and is clearly a Bistro favorite.
Born in Badin, N.C. in 1926, Donaldson has not only survived, but thrived. Clarinet was his instrument of choice at age 15, but he switched to alto sax when he joined the U.S. Navy, where his bandmates included Willie Smith and St. Louisans Clark Terry and Ernie Wilkins.
Lou first recorded professionally in 1952 with Milt Jackson and Thelonious Monk, and as the leader of several small groups joined by Blue Mitchell, Horace Silver and Art Blakey. His label debut as a leader was a quartet session with Horace Silver, Gene Ramey and Art Taylor. The following year he led groups featuring Clifford Brown and Philly Joe Jones.
His 1954 engagement with Brown, Silver, Blakey and Tommy Potter, recorded on A Night At Birdland, Vols. I & II, as writer Mitch Feldman recounts, “was a precursor of the illustrious Jazz Messengers.”
He enjoyed two stints with Blue Note (1952-1963 and 1967-1975). Feldman calls Donaldson “a supremely soulful player who established a distinctive sound that enabled him to emerge from under the vast shadow cast by Charlie Parker’s legacy.” The two Blue Note phases reflect distinctively different styles, the latter marked by commercialization (and more widespread appeal). As Feldman puts it, “The Best of Lou Donaldson, Vol. I charts the saxophonist’s progression from a swinging hard bopper collaborating with Blue Note stalwarts Donald Byrd, Sonny Clark, Horace Parlan, Wayne Shorter and Grant Green, to a rib-joint funk master creating ‘soul jazz’ with organists Baby Face Willette and Big John Patton.”
The transition probably began in 1963 when Lou started recording for Argo (later renamed Cadet), which, according to Lawrence Koch, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, “specialized in funk.” He adds that upon his return to Blue Note, Donaldson “achieved a successful blend of elements of the two styles.”
It is common for purists to assail artists for turning commercial (as well as for too much exploration), but one thing certain is that Donaldson has maintained some fine chops and an ability to swing with the best. Also a bit of a comedian, he has entertained many guests with his comical vocals on “Whiskey Drinking Woman,” a favorite of Bistro music director Bob Bennett.
His devoted followers will always cherish classics like The Masquerade and Blues Walk and the popular Gravy Train and Good Gracious, along with lighter vehicles like Alligator Bogaloo, Everything I Play Is Funky, Mr. Shing-A-Ling, Live: Fried Buzzard, The Natural Soul and Say It Loud.
I ran into longtime St. Louis poet/educator Shirley LeFlore the other day and she repeated an account that she gave me at a concert earlier this year. She had been in New York to perform and caught St. Louis’ keyboard wizard Ptah Williams on piano with Lou at the Village Vanguard. She said, “It was a great quartet he had. He featured Ptah a lot. He really likes to give fresh musicians, not only an opportunity, but he really likes playing with them.” Then she added, “He’s got a great sense of humor.”
As many may recall, Ptah appeared with Donaldson several years back, along with fellow St. Louisans, bassist Jeffrey Anderson and drummer Gary Sykes, at the now-defunct Ice’s Jazz club. Williams also travelled to Europe with the saxophonist.
It seems the altoist has an affinity with St. Louis musicians, dating back to gigs with the great guitarist Grant Green. If this isn’t an ample indication that this icon has kept in tune with the times, then come and check out his pure, enduring tone and fluid harmony for confirmation. Hopefully, he’ll be accompanied by Dr. Lonnie Smith again on Hammond B3 – continuing the aforementioned association with the organ which began in the early ‘50s with Baby Face Willette and Big John Patton.
Lou Donaldson plays Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington, November 30-December 3 at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
