Description

Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series
Audiophile Vinyl Reissues From The Finest In Jazz Since 1939
Mastered From The Original Analog Tapes By Kevin Gray At Cohearent Audio 180 Gram Vinyl

Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson scored a hit with “Alligator Bogaloo,” the jaunty and memorable lead cut and title track of his 1967 soul jazz classic, but the album brims with funky grooves from start to finish with the breezy “Aw Shucks,” rollicking “Rev. Moses,” and the sinuous minimalism of “One Cylinder.” Alligator Bogaloo marked the beginning of a fruitful and long-running collaboration between Lou and organ master Dr. Lonnie Smith, with the stellar band also featuring the young guitar star George Benson, influential drummer Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammad), and cornetist Melvin Lastie.

Alligator Bogaloo is one example of Lou Donaldson's successful combinations of hard bop and soul-jazz. Of the six tunes, three are Donaldson originals, including the title hit. The excellent band, consisting of Melvin Lastie, Sr. on cornet, George Benson on guitar, Lonnie Smith on organ, and Leo Morris on drums, mixes laid-back vamps beneath driving hard bop charts.

The success of the title track surprised Donaldson: "We made the date and we were three minutes short. I said we don't have no more material. And the guy said just play anything for three minutes so we can fill out the time. So I just made the riff and naturally the guys could follow it. That's the only damn thing that sold on the record."

This Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.