Lou Donaldson - Gravy Train (1961) (Remastered, 2007)

Artist: Lou Donaldson
Title Of Album: Gravy Train
Year Of Release: 1961/2007
Label (Catalog#) : Blue Note [0946 3 92773 2 2]
Country: USA
Genre: Jazz, Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Quality: Lossless
Bitrate: FLAC (tracks+cue,log)
Total Time: 00:54:02
Total Size: 381mb(+3%)(covers)

AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Gravy Train is a fine, if not quite exceptional record from Lou Donaldson's initial soul-jazz phase of the early '60s. Actually, given the title and the period in which it was recorded, the album isn't quite as greasy and funky overall as one might expect; most of the repertoire is devoted to pop ballads and mid-tempo standards, the latter of which tends to bring out more of the bop elements in Donaldson's playing. That's not true for the entire album, though; the title cut is a laid-back, conga-tinged, bluesy groover in the classic Donaldson mold, even if it's a bit workmanlike. Donaldson's longtime pianist, Herman Foster, is allotted quite a bit of solo space here, and he concentrates more on thick, rippling chords than single-note lines. For his part, Donaldson's playing is pleasant, and the rest of the supporting group maintains a steady groove throughout. All of Donaldson's sessions from this period (Here 'Tis, The Natural Soul, Good Gracious) have enough worthwhile moments for devoted fans, and that's true of Gravy Train as well, though casual fans probably won't find it necessary enough to track down.

Tracks:
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01. "Gravy Train" - 8:14
02. "South of the Border" (Carr, Kennedy) - 5:31
03. "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" (Burke, Van Heusen) - 4:59
04. "Avalon" (DeSylva, Jolson, Rose) - 4:15
05. "Candy" (Mack David, Kramer, Whitney) - 9:18
06. "Twist Time" - 6:47
07. "Glory of Love" (Billy Hill) - 4:04
Bonus tracks on CD:
08. "Gravy Train" [Alternate Take] - 7:30
09. "Glory of Love" [Alternate Take] - 3:49

Personnel:
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Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone
Herman Foster - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Dave Bailey - drums
Alec Dorsey - congas (1, 2 & 4-9)

Notes:
Originally recorded on April 27, 1961 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
All transfers from analog to digital made at 24-bit resolution.
Tracks 1-7 originally issued in 1961 as Blue Note BST 84079.
Tracks 8 & 9 originally issued in 1996 on the first CD edition of this album (bonus tracks, not part of the original album).

All thanks to original releaser