LOU DONALDSON — The Natural Soul (review)

LOU DONALDSON — The Natural Soul album cover Album · 1963 · Soul Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
scott fetner
The Natural Soul Album released in 1962 from Blue Note Records is a standout in Soul/Jazz. Produced by Alfred Lion, with recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder and recorded at Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey on May 9th, this is a grooving album from start to finish. The record cover features Helen White, keeping with a style that was famous for Lou showcasing beautiful women of the era. The players responsible for pumping out this timeless groove album are Lou Donaldson on Alto Sax, Tommy Turrentine on Trumpet, Grant Green on Guitar, Big John Patton on Organ, and Ben Dixon on Drums. Donaldson originally from Badin, N.C. was heavily influenced by Charlie Parker and the Be-Bop era of jazz. He moved into Soul/Jazz and this album is a standout of the era.

Side one features "Funky Mama" as the intro track. The up-beat shuffle lead groove is a fantastic start to what is nine minutes worth of solid groove. Patton composed this tune, and the players brought it to life. Track 2 "Love Walked In" which is smoothly led by the pure genius of Donaldson's sax glides purely and effortlessly with hard organ notes commanding it. Track 3 is "Spaceman Twist" which jumps with the organ and sax once again. This tune will surely get your toes tapping, and your groove groovin, Grant Green comes alive with a solo in his signature style. Patton swings it to perfection with plenty of funky breaks at the end.

The album flips now to the "B" side, and Track 1 hits just as hard as the opening piece of the album. "Sow Belly Blues" is brought to pure life by Tommy. This is a very upbeat tune with brilliant horn work all around, it clocks in at over nine minutes as well. Track 2 "That is All" sees the album takes a break and the blues come in hard. The notes are delicately massaged and bended to perfection. It gives one the feeling of what it must have felt like to wander the streets of New York late at night in the late 50s, and early 60s. Finally Track 3 "Nice and Greasy" brings this masterpiece to a close. It is funk with a capitol F! The piece moves and grooves showcasing one more time this line-ups talent.

This classic belongs on any collector of Soul/Jazz's shelf. Keeping with Blue Note tradition, the works on this album are put together by some of the finest jazz musicians of the era.
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