Quartet/Quintet/Sextet is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded on June 20 and November 19, 1952 and August 22, 1954 and released on Blue Note in 1957. The quartet features rhythm section Horace Silver, Gene Ramey and Art Taylor; the quintet adds trumpeter Blue Mitchell. The sextet features a new lineup, with brass section Kenny Dorham and Matthew Gee and rhythm section Elmo Hope, Percy Heath and Art Blakey.Lou Donaldson discography accessed December 2, 2009.
Background The sessions were originally released on New Faces, New Sounds: Lou Donaldson–Clifford Brown (1953, BLP 5021) and Lou Donaldson Sextet, Volume 2 (1954, BLP 5055), respectively.
Reception The AllMusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine states, "While Donaldson's tone isn't quite as full as it would be within just five years, he impresses with his bold, speedy technique and fine phrasing. He doesn't play anything out of the ordinary, but he plays it very, very well, and his playing is enhanced by the three stellar bands that support him on these sessions... Everyone plays in a straight bop and hard bop tradition, contributing fine performances to a strong debut effort by Donaldson."Erlewine, S. T. [ AllMusic Review] accessed December 2, 2009.
Track listing
CD reissues
Personnel Musicians
June 20, 1952
Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone Horace Silver – piano Gene Ramey – bass Art Taylor – drums recorded at WOR Studios, NYC
November 19, 1952
Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone Blue Mitchell – trumpet Horace Silver – piano Gene Ramey – bass Art Taylor – drums recorded at WOR Studios, NYC
August 22, 1954 Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone Kenny Dorham – trumpet Matthew Gee – trombone Elmo Hope – piano Percy Heath – bass Art Blakey – drums recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ
Technical personnel Alfred Lion – producer Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer Reid Miles – design Francis Wolff – photography Leonard Feather – liner notes
References