A Man With a Horn
Compiled from two previously unreleased sessions (with the exception of "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," previously released in Japan), the music onA Man with a Hornspotlights both the lushness and the soulfulness that characterize the sound of alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson. An artist who managed to elude the immense shadow cast byCharlie Parker, Donaldson was a leading figure during the bluesy, hard-bop movement of the mid-1950s and a fixture in funky organ combos during the early '60s. This CD alternates between tracks recorded in 1961 at a quartet date with guitaristGrant Greenand organistJack McDuffand a 1963 quintet date with Green, trumpeter Irvin Stokes, and organistBig John Patton. Six of the nine selections are ballads and include a diaphanous version ofErroll Garner's "Misty" and a dreamy interpretation ofHoagy Carmichael's "Star Dust." Donaldson's up-tempo blues "Hipty Hop," which features muted growls by Stokes, and a swinging rendition of "My Melancholy Baby" add some spice to the set.--Mitchell Feldman