A soul survivor in every sense of the term, this alto saxophonist is one of the few remaining jazz artists who made a major impact on the jazz community via an extensive run with producer Alfred Lion and the Blue Note label (Horace Silver being another Blue Note legend that comes to mind). From his first recordings for the label with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, it was clear that Lou Donaldson put melody and sound at a premium, coming up with an amalgam that combined the creamy smoothness of Johnny Hodges with the quicksilver bop inflections of Charlie Parker.
Alto sax master Lou Donaldson's entry to the Blue Note Artist Selects series includes a blend of originals and standards, with Hall of Fame lineups from various eras. Listening to this music, one can map the evolution of jazz in the context of his development as a musician. ~ AllAboutJazz
What you get on this particular volume are six very enjoyable examples of Lou Donaldson's best jazz-funk grooves harvested from the golden formative years of this well-loved style (1963-1970).
This remastered two-fer assembles a pair of LPs cut for the Cadet label by saxophonist Lou Donaldson alongside organist Billy Gardner. Although issued on Cadet, 1965's Musty Rusty follows in much the same vein as Donaldson's previous LPs for Blue Note – credit reunions with the brilliant guitarist Grant Green and the underrated drummer Ben Dixon for the seamless transition, and even if Gardner can't quite yet fill the shoes of longtime Donaldson foil Big John Patton, the set's soulfulness and creativity still demand attention.