Talkin Jazz with "Sweet Papa" Lou Donaldson

Exploring America's Classic Music Jazz with Saxophone Legend "Sweet Papa" Lou Donaldson. Once he moved to New York, Lou worked weekends in Jersey with Dud Bascomb’s band. One night while working at Minton’s Playhouse -- the famous jazz club, he was approached by Alfred Lyons of Blue Note Records to make a recording and he suggested that Lou make a Charlie Parker-type recording which he did with the Milt Jackson Quartet. At that time, it was Milt Jackson, Percy Heath, John Lewis, and Kenny Clark. Later on this group would be called the Modern Jazz Quartet. The record was successful and the company asked him to make a record on his own and this is why he’s most proud of his time at Blue Note Records-- because this date started a career for him that actually made him bring several musicians to Blue Note Records and today he’s very proud to have been the first to record these musicians -- Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Grant Green, John Patton, Blue Mitchell, Donald Byrd, Horace Parlan, Tommy Turrentine, Al Harewood, George Tucker, Jameel Nasser, and Curtis Fuller -- with his group at Blue Note Records. Lou brought Gene Harris and the 3 Sounds from Washington DC to New York to record with him on the famous album called LD Plus 3 which was a big hit. His most famous group was Herman Foster on piano, Ray Baretto on conga, Peck Morrison on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums, which was the best move he made during his tenure on the label. This group recorded the famous record which is still selling today, Blues Walk -- and on the back side, The Masquerade is Over. This solo is dearly considered by many disc jockeys as one of the top alto solos of all times and, along with Blues Walk, was used by many as a theme song. Read more: www.loudonaldson.com