1954 - August 22

Lou Donaldson Sextet – August 22 1954 

 

Leonard Feather – Lou Donaldson Quartet/Quintet/Sextet Liner Notes – BLP 1537 

The Stroller is a fast blues whose phrases may seem reminiscent, since they have been much copied, though played with less bite and élan, by many of the west coast jazzmen. Elmo Hope, the pianist on this sextet dote, shows the Bud Powell influence most effectively. Lou has a long and brilliant solo in which the continuity of his work places him in the first rank of modern alto men. Kenny Dorham, too, has a half-dozen fleet choruses and Matthew Gee, though considerably less publicized than Jimmy Cleveland, shows that he has all the latter’s flexibility and much of his improvisational ingenuity. 

Caracas, a Donaldson composition, is notable for the inimitable Art Blakey cymbal sound that gives it such a distinctive tonal coloration right from the start. Lou, Elmo, Kenny and Matthew all have solos, with Blakey helping himself to the final bridge. Note particularly the warm quality of Gee’s work here, almost like a modernized Lawrence Brown. 

Moe’s Bluff, composed by Elmo Hope, is a medium-tempo boppish tune again featuring Gee, Dorham, Donaldson and Hope. 

Down Beat 20 April 1955 Volume 22 Issue 8 

This, for the most part, is a free swinging, exuberantly blowing session. None of the three originals is structurally much on its own (two are by Donaldson and one by Hope), but the solo work is brightly stimulating. Altoist Donaldson, sharply in the Bird tradition, is the most consistently exciting voice, but there’s also good work from Kenny Dorham and pianist Elmo Hope. Trombonist Matthew Gee, while emotionally in context, is less impressive in terms of musicianship. Art Blakey and Percy Heath assure a strongly swinging rhythm section. Program is badly balanced with no ballad or slow tempo break of any kind. The set is recommended, but cannot be given a higher rating because of the sameness of material and dynamics all the way through. No notes. (Blue Note LP 5055) 

Metronome May 1955 

In some ways this LP is reminiscent of Kenny Clark's (Savoy 15053 LP). It's mostly old-time bop, and, again, the drummer (Art Blakey) runs away with the show, although here there's occasional trouble with the rhythm, none of it Art's fault. Kenny Dorham wasn't with it for this session: fluffs and indecision and not much swing. And Lou Donaldson gets hung on the fast tempos, obviously not thinking fast enough, too often trapped in phony interpolations. Elmo Hope is a no-left-hand bopper; trombonist Matthew Gee swings but has little to say. Percy Heath isn't with Blakey on three of the sides. This is another album which would have better been scrapped in favor of something else. (Blue Note LP 5055) 

Session Information 

Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Matthew Gee, trombone; Lou Donaldson, alto sax; Elmo Hope, piano; Percy Heath, bass; Art Blakey, drums. 

Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, August 22, 1954 

tk.3, Caracas, Blue Note BLP 5055, BLP 1537 

tk.4, The Stroller, Blue Note BLP 5055, BLP 1537 

tk.6, Moe's Bluff, Blue Note BLP 5055, BLP 1537 

tk.10, After You've Gone, Blue Note BLP 5055