Fireball 1957 Set On 180g Vinyl LP!
With Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, Sonny Clark, George Joyner & Art Taylor!
Recorded on December 15, 1957, Lou Takes Off features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, George Joyner on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The album features two original extended compositions by Lou Donaldson, "Sputnik" and "Strollin' In" and shorter accounts of Charlie Parker's "Dewey Square" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High". This recording marks a period in his development prior to a stylistic shift away from bop and toward a stronger rhythm and blues emphasis. The best jazz musicians build improvisations based on little themes and ideas that happened in a composition's main melody recorded by Rudy Van Gelder.
"A cadre of young musicians, each who would, in time, evolve into a master, is caught as they begin to shine early on for this fireball 1957 set. A thinly disguised take on Cole Porter's 'What Is This Thing Called Love?' is the opening tune, altoist Lou Donaldson's 'Sputnik.' It launches matters at full throttle, with Donaldson unmistakably reflecting Charlie Parker's then still very fresh and vibrant influence. Joining the pulsating rhythms is a young Donald Byrd, whose ebullient trumpet intonation makes for a perfect complement to Donaldson's sweet bop heat. Adding more flavor is a strong rhythm section driven by the breathtaking marathon-paced drumming of Art Taylor. A bop classic, Charlie Parker's own 'Dewey Square,' includes a showcasing solo from the too-soon-gone Sonny Clark, who was already displaying his rhythmically sophisticated and seriously playful piano. Easing in and out smoothly on the tune is Curtis Fuller, who was already demonstrating the JJ Johnson-influenced technique that, as composer and trombonist, has led to his playing with a galaxy ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Count Basie and many more. On another Donaldson piece, 'Strollin' In,' Fuller's sound is so varied and sweet it's as if he's just invented a new instrument. And Clark's piano is so mesmerizing one can only regret, again, that his life was so short. If Lou Takes Off is not an essential set, it is a fascinating one, if only historically. It's a welcome opportunity to savor a steaming, vivid and fascinating session when a band of young lions were clearly on the verge of greatness." - All About Jazz
Features:
• 180g Vinyl
• Direct Metal Master
• Import
• Made in the E.U.
Musicians:
Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone
Donald Byrd, trumpet
Curtis Fuller, trombone
Sonny Clark, piano
George Joyner, bass
Art Taylor, drums
Selections:
Side A:
1. Sputnik
2. Dewey Square
Side B:
1. Strollin' In
2. Groovin' High
With Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, Sonny Clark, George Joyner & Art Taylor!
Recorded on December 15, 1957, Lou Takes Off features Donald Byrd on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Sonny Clark on piano, George Joyner on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. The album features two original extended compositions by Lou Donaldson, "Sputnik" and "Strollin' In" and shorter accounts of Charlie Parker's "Dewey Square" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High". This recording marks a period in his development prior to a stylistic shift away from bop and toward a stronger rhythm and blues emphasis. The best jazz musicians build improvisations based on little themes and ideas that happened in a composition's main melody recorded by Rudy Van Gelder.
"A cadre of young musicians, each who would, in time, evolve into a master, is caught as they begin to shine early on for this fireball 1957 set. A thinly disguised take on Cole Porter's 'What Is This Thing Called Love?' is the opening tune, altoist Lou Donaldson's 'Sputnik.' It launches matters at full throttle, with Donaldson unmistakably reflecting Charlie Parker's then still very fresh and vibrant influence. Joining the pulsating rhythms is a young Donald Byrd, whose ebullient trumpet intonation makes for a perfect complement to Donaldson's sweet bop heat. Adding more flavor is a strong rhythm section driven by the breathtaking marathon-paced drumming of Art Taylor. A bop classic, Charlie Parker's own 'Dewey Square,' includes a showcasing solo from the too-soon-gone Sonny Clark, who was already displaying his rhythmically sophisticated and seriously playful piano. Easing in and out smoothly on the tune is Curtis Fuller, who was already demonstrating the JJ Johnson-influenced technique that, as composer and trombonist, has led to his playing with a galaxy ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Count Basie and many more. On another Donaldson piece, 'Strollin' In,' Fuller's sound is so varied and sweet it's as if he's just invented a new instrument. And Clark's piano is so mesmerizing one can only regret, again, that his life was so short. If Lou Takes Off is not an essential set, it is a fascinating one, if only historically. It's a welcome opportunity to savor a steaming, vivid and fascinating session when a band of young lions were clearly on the verge of greatness." - All About Jazz
Features:
• 180g Vinyl
• Direct Metal Master
• Import
• Made in the E.U.
Musicians:
Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone
Donald Byrd, trumpet
Curtis Fuller, trombone
Sonny Clark, piano
George Joyner, bass
Art Taylor, drums
Selections:
Side A:
1. Sputnik
2. Dewey Square
Side B:
1. Strollin' In
2. Groovin' High
