Matt If there is any album by Lou Donaldson to get, this is the one. Recorded back in 1958 with the title track being just one of those great Jazz compositions being nothing fancy, just great Blues. This is the second album utilising the same band with the first album being "Swing and Soul" released the previous year in 1957. Lou Donaldson was not your man for boundary pushing as Lou was from the mold of Charlie Parker and has played that way ever since but one thing although Bop and all it's varieties were Lou's staples he played them beautifully and always kept things interesting with a certain class and technique that emanated from his alto saxophone. Not only that, Lou Donaldson wrote many a fine Jazz tune with the title "Blues Walk" perhaps being his best in these early years before many of his albums became predominately Hammond B3 based but here Lou and band play straight standard Bop with Herman Foster on piano for album number three and Lou with Herman would be on a few more to come as he would play with Lou mainly till 1965. "Peck Morrison" is on bass with Dave Bailey on drums who had been playing with Lou quite a while by now and Ray Barretto on congas who eventually would appear on five of Lou's albums with this one being his second. The original review with the album states that Ray prefers to play Jazz than work with Latin Bands and yes there is some truth in that but perhaps that was then in the late 1950's but when the sixties and seventies arrived the reverse was the case as we all know. Don't expect any boundary pushing as I mentioned above, just beautifully played Jazz in the Bop mould with superb solo's over one great swinging beat.

Lou Donaldson has written three of the six compositions including the title "Blues Walk" which is what gets this little treat of an album underway with Lou stating the theme first up with just the percussion assisting and when one hears the tune you will hear where Lou originally hailed from which was down South in Carolina with that slight Southern feel to the Blues that Lou has created with him taking the first solo and as throughout the entire piece, band included we never stray to far from the original theme which is always in the listeners grasp but the quality is maintaned by still having that fresh approach over one brisk timed walk. Herman Foster lays one great little piano solo down and listen not long after the begining where he adds the repitition and the groove just keeps coming where later in the tune Dave Bailey on drums trades with Ray on his congas for a lovely little percussion break. "Move" which follows does have the band on the move with this quick little up-tempo composition with Lou going all out Bird with his solo playing those smooth rapid changes that Charlie Parker was the master off but hey Lou does a very good job himself with Herman back for a great follow up on piano. Lou was very good at ballads and with all that Blues and Bop we already have heard, it is great album sequencing as well with examplary playing and not just from Lou but the entire band and in "The Masquerade Is Over" the saxophone just soars over this snappy timed ballad. "Ray's Tune" is another Lou Donalson composition and yes it is for Ray Barretto himself to come to the fore with trade offs from Lou's alto and later a great break with both drummer and percussionist on this delightful Blues number. "Autumn Nocturne" is the other ballad on the album and Lou really stretches out more so than the previous due to the slower time with beautiful sensitivity where one could compare Dexter Gordon's approach that he had with his tenor saxophone on ballads being just lilting and beautiful. "Callin' All Cats" is the last and written by Lou ,with Herman and Lou trading off at the intro to this sprite album finsher played with the usual outstanding solo's from Lou and Herman that are the major component of this classic Jazz album.

Although we do not have anything crashing through Jazz boundaries what we do have is great listening Jazz that is played at an extremely high standard. The congas that were added to many of these style of Blue Note albums that came out around this period in the late fifties albeit players, Ray Barretto, Alec Dorsey etc are more used to provide a Southern grit touch to the music and not played with a slamming Latin approach but just there to add a beautiful texture and diversity to the music. You have to have this album you know. Although different to these other Blue Note tunes like "Moanin', Song For My Father, Sidewinder, Cool Struttin', Idol Moments" it is one of those Blue Note classics that you will play over and over again.

scott fetner The Natural Soul Album released in 1962 from Blue Note Records is a standout in Soul/Jazz. Produced by Alfred Lion, with recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder and recorded at Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey on May 9th, this is a grooving album from start to finish. The record cover features Helen White, keeping with a style that was famous for Lou showcasing beautiful women of the era. The players responsible for pumping out this timeless groove album are Lou Donaldson on Alto Sax, Tommy Turrentine on Trumpet, Grant Green on Guitar, Big John Patton on Organ, and Ben Dixon on Drums. Donaldson originally from Badin, N.C. was heavily influenced by Charlie Parker and the Be-Bop era of jazz. He moved into Soul/Jazz and this album is a standout of the era.

Side one features "Funky Mama" as the intro track. The up-beat shuffle lead groove is a fantastic start to what is nine minutes worth of solid groove. Patton composed this tune, and the players brought it to life. Track 2 "Love Walked In" which is smoothly led by the pure genius of Donaldson's sax glides purely and effortlessly with hard organ notes commanding it. Track 3 is "Spaceman Twist" which jumps with the organ and sax once again. This tune will surely get your toes tapping, and your groove groovin, Grant Green comes alive with a solo in his signature style. Patton swings it to perfection with plenty of funky breaks at the end.

The album flips now to the "B" side, and Track 1 hits just as hard as the opening piece of the album. "Sow Belly Blues" is brought to pure life by Tommy. This is a very upbeat tune with brilliant horn work all around, it clocks in at over nine minutes as well. Track 2 "That is All" sees the album takes a break and the blues come in hard. The notes are delicately massaged and bended to perfection. It gives one the feeling of what it must have felt like to wander the streets of New York late at night in the late 50s, and early 60s. Finally Track 3 "Nice and Greasy" brings this masterpiece to a close. It is funk with a capitol F! The piece moves and grooves showcasing one more time this line-ups talent.

This classic belongs on any collector of Soul/Jazz's shelf. Keeping with Blue Note tradition, the works on this album are put together by some of the finest jazz musicians of the era.

Matt "Charlie Parker" was Lou's influence when he played alto saxophone. Early in his career he played with "Milt Jackson","Thelonious Monk" and "Art Blakey" in the early days of "The Jazz Messengers" but Blues and Funk quickly became his staple diet. Conga, drums, Hammond B3, guitar, all injected by Lou into his Jazz. "Lou Donaldson" many may say was not an innovator but he knew how to entertain with always swing, groove and funk into the mix and he was always looking for muscians with that style and grit. This is Lou's second hammond album for Blue Note as the previous year he recorded "Here Tis" with "Grant Green" who had been found by Lou playing in a bar in St Louis and playing exactly what Lou wanted to hear, blues and funk. Grant was to go on and make the most appearances of any artist on Blue Note and to be rated one of the best Jazz guitarists of all time. "Tommy Turrentine" is blowing the trumpet who actually is "Stanley Turrentine's" older brother who is another Blue Note stalwart but today it is just Tommy. "John Patton" or "Big John" putting the groove down on Hammond Organ and that is what it is with lashings of Funk throughout the album. On drums we have "Ben Dixon" maybe not the best techinical jazz drummer but boy does he know how to swing and put down those chitlin' beats which is precisely what this album required. Recorded in 1962 with "Alfred Lion" in the producers chair,who actually was not that fond of the result especially the opener "Funky Mama" because of the lack of jazz but you will find it is one absolute groover and the highlight of the album " The Natural Soul"

The opener written by "John Patton" is groove and funk from woe to go with, "Funky Mama" being its title and John Patton stating that from the first note played at the intro where Grant Green comes in on guitar with one great shuffle beat being put down as well by Ben Dixon on drums pumping that rythmn. I have heard many a Grant Green solo and what he does with this one on that guitar is right up amongst his tops but that groove does not let up with Tommy on trumpet, Lou on alto, Big John putting down groove on his turn and Grant returning with John to finish this one rythmn funk monster off. At the time it was not really the thing Alfred Lion was after but all of us sure were with a great composition to jump around to. "Love walked In" a "Gershwin" brothers tune starts off with the theme but is quickly turned to a hammond groove with Tommy playing trumpet first, Grant does another beautiful little solo and was he in top notch form for this session. Lou is laid back on his alto with quite a nice take. The pumping groove is back with "Spaceman Twist" which does have a bit more in it that "Funky Mamas' structure but John on that hammond keeps just pumping it out. Lou goes first on this one with a great solo and Tommy on trumpet is just as good but the show stealer comes in being Grant with that jazz guitar of his and some beautiful more of his quick groove picking. "Sow Belly Blues" is another glorious ten minutes of groove which just glides through with Lou and Tommy bringing up the intro and Lou is off first again. "Tommy Turrentine" on trumpet was a great addition as he provides contrast to the album with his Bop style which he keeps throughout and his solos kept a great balance with the tunes and keeps the album in the realm of jazz and not just a funk, blues excursion which is apparent with how he plays his solo with "Sow Belly Blues". Off course Grant gives us another beauty on guitar and what a time in the early sixties it was for him with guitar mastery over every album he practically appearered on. Two more to go with the original album with "Thats All" being the only ballad with Lou giving it the treatment on alto. The finisher sounds exactly the same as its name "Nice and Greasy" with more of that groove with Grant giving us yet another display with his guitar. There is a bonus track on the cd the "Rogers and Hammerstein" song "People Will Say We're in Love" and Lou keeps this one jazz but still groove is present with John on hammond.

Right time, right place especially with the muscians John Patton and Grant Green who I have always felt played their best early in their careers with this album showing why. Lou will not go down in Jazz history as a cutting edge pioneer but he knew a good beat when he heard one and these style albums would be his style from now on, being funk with lashings of Hammond groove but still a little jazz within. Lou was an entertainer and with "The Natural Soul" entertainment is what you get.