Mr. Shing-A-Ling (Remastered) Lou Donaldson

• 1Ode To Billie Joe06:30
• 2The Humpback05:25
• 3The Shadow of Your Smile06:23
• 4Peepin'08:19
• 5The Kid10:59
• Total Runtime37:36

Info for Mr. Shing-A-Ling (Remastered)

Mr. Shing-A-Ling, has long been considered the best of Lou Donaldson’s funk/soul albums from the late-60s, & includes a who’s who of great soul jazz players including Blue Mitchell, Jimmy “Fats” Ponder & Leo Smith. Donaldson’s funky version of “Ode to Billie Joe” is the most sampled track in Blue Note history, with artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Drake, Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige, J Dilla, De La Soul, Eminem, and many more using the track for inspiration. Blue Note Records’ Tone Poet Audiophile HiRes-Reissue Series is produced by Joe Harley and features all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape. Mastering is by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio).

"Lou Donaldson does attempt to loosen up a bit with Mr. Shing-A-Ling, but the whole affair is a bit stilted and misconceived. Not quite the full-fledged electric funk workout that was becoming commonplace for old-guard soul-jazz musicians in the late '60s, but not quite the bop-inflected soul-jazz of the early '60s. either, Mr. Shing-A-Ling falls into a netherworld that won't connect either with jazz purists or fans of grooving jazz-funk. When the group does try to get funky on the record, the results just sound lazy -- there's no spark to the rhythms, or to Donaldson's melody lines, especially on the embarrassing cover of the pop hit "Ode to Billie Joe." When the quintet settles into a midtempo vamp, Donaldson, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, and organist Lonnie Smith do spin out some good solos, but the lack of energy and enthusiasm the group has for the material makes Mr. Shing-A-Ling a bit of a tiring listen." (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone
Blue Mitchell, trumpet (on tracks 2-5)
Jimmy "Fats" Ponder, guitar
Lonnie Smith, organ
Leo Morris, drums

Recorded October 27, 1967 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder
Produced by Francis Wolff

Digitally remastered

Lou Donaldson
Jazz critics agree that “Sweet Poppa Lou” Donaldson is one of the greatest alto saxophonists of all time. He began his career as a bandleader with Blue Note Records in 1952 and, already at age 25, he had found his sound, though it would continue to sweeten over the years -- earning him his famed nickname --“Sweet Poppa Lou.” He made a series of classic records for Blue Note in the 50’s, and takes pride in having showcased many musicians who made their first records as sidemen for him: Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Grant Green, Blue Mitchell, Donald Byrd, Horace Parlan, and others. After also making some excellent recordings for Cadet and Argo Records in the early 60s, Lou’s return to Blue Note in 1967 was marked by one of his most famous recordings, Alligator Bogaloo. Lou was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by North Carolina A & T University and a scholarship was established in his name that is awarded to the most gifted jazz musician at North Carolina A & T University each year. He was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame and is the recipient of countless other honors and awards for his outstanding contributions to jazz, America’s “classical music.”

Lou was born in Badin, North Carolina on November 1, 1926 -- the second of 4 children born to father Andrew, a minister and graduate of Livingstone College, and mother, Lucy, graduate of Cheney University who was a teacher, music director and concert pianist who recognized Lou’s expert ear for music and introduced him to the clarinet. He matriculated to North Carolina A& T College at age 15 where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and joined the marching band playing clarinet. After being drafted into the US Navy in 1945, Lou played in the Great Lakes Navy Band where, when playing for dances, he would also play the alto saxophone. After going into Chicago several times, he heard of Charlie Parker and, after checking him out, decided that this was the style of playing he would make his own. Lou moved to New York in 1950 or late 49 where he attended the Darrow Institute of Music and lived at 127th Street and 8th Avenue with his new wife, Maker, his longtime sweetheart from North Carolina who remained his wife and business partner for 56 years until her death in 2006. Together they raised two daughters, Lydia and Carol, and called the Bronx their home where Lou still resides and where he penned his signature tunes like Blues Walk that are still acclaimed classics today.

Today, at age 86, Lou continues to play at his very best, entertaining audiences worldwide with spirited performances that are always soulful, thoroughly swinging, and steeped in the blues. Lou’s hits on Blue Note Records are still high demand favorites and, today, he is the label’s oldest musician from that notable era of jazz. Source: www.loudonaldson.com

This album contains no booklet.