Description
Alligator Bogaloo by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson was recorded for the Blue Note label in 1967 and featured Donaldson with Melvin Lastie, Lonnie Smith, George Benson and Leo Morris (later to be better known as Idris Muhammad). The success of the title track surprised Donaldson: [W]e made the date and we were three minutes short. I said we dont 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. Thats the only damn thing that sold on the record.
Alligator Bogaloo is one example of Lou Donaldsons 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 Lastin, 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. As the 60s turned into the 70s, Donaldson began shaving off hard bop invention for a more radio-friendly and 45 RPM length, leaving soulful yet monotonous vamping. At that point, Donaldsons material suffered from a lack of originality. Thats not the case on Alligator Bogaloo. AllMusic
Produced by Alfred Lion
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