Lou Donaldson “The Natural Soul”

Lou Donaldson

“The Natural Soul”
( LP Blue Note Records, 1962 )
Catalog # BLP 4108
Also issued on Blue Note BST 84108, CDP 7 84108-2

Tracklisting:
01 Funky Mama [Patton]
02 Spaceman Twist [Donaldson]
03 Love Walked In [Gershwin, Gershwin]
04 Sow Belly Blues [Donaldson]
05 That’s All [Brandt, Haymes]
06 Nice ‘N’ Greasy [Acea]

Personnel:
Tommy Turrentine (tp)
Lou Donaldson (as)
“Big” John Patton (org)
Grant Green (g)
Ben Dixon (d)
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, May 9, 1962

Review:
The Natural Soul finds Lou Donaldson delving deeply into soul-jazz, recording a set of funky, greasy instrumentals with only a few references to hard bop. Donaldson occasionally sounds a little awkward with the relaxed groove of The Natural Soul, as does trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, but the trio of guitarist Grant Green, organist John Patton, and drummer Ben Dixon keep things cooking. Green and Patton’s solos often burn and are always invigorating, and Lou frequently matches their heights. The original compositions — which form the bulk of the album — aren’t much more than blues and soul vamps, but they provide an excellent foundation for the combo to work hot grooves. And, in the end, that’s what The Natural Soul is about — groove. It maintains the high standards Donaldson established with his first soul-jazz foray, Here ‘Tis, and remains one of his best records in that genre.
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine (AMG)

Review by Clifford Allen here. (All About Jazz)

By Rob