
Lou Donaldson - Say It Loud!
Alto Saxophone, Vocals: Lou Donaldson [click here to see more vinyl featuring Lou Donaldson]
Trumpet: Blue Mitchell [click here to see more vinyl featuring Blue Mitchell]
Organ: Charles Earland
Guitar: Jimmy Ponder
Drums: Leo Morris
Written by James Brown, Pee Wee Ellis (A1), George & Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward (A2), Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol (A3), Lou Donaldson (B1-2), Leon Spencer (B2)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Optimal
Label : Blue Note Classic vinyl series
Original Label : Blue Note
Recorded on November 6, 1968, at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder
Produced by Francis Wolff
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Lacquer cut by Rudy Van Gelder
Photography by Francis Wolff
Liner Notes by Jerry Boulding
Originally Released in 1969
Reissued in 2025
Tracks :
Side A:
- Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)
- Summertime
- Caravan
Side B:
- Snake Bone
- Brother Soul
Review :
“The title of Say It Loud! is taken from James Brown's anthem "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," the R&B/funk classic that Lou Donaldson covers on this album. Instead of providing a thematic and musical touchstone for the rest of the record, the song is an attempt to prove that Donaldson is still on top of musical trends, but the lazy groove he and his band -- trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Jimmy Ponder, organist Charles Earland, drummer Leo Morris -- work up shows they're not quite comfortable with this contemporary funk. They sound much more at ease with standards like "Summertime" and "Caravan," which give them a chance to stretch out, even if they are arranged like commercially oriented soul-jazz. Nevertheless, their simple presence on the album puts the stiffness of Donaldson's groove-oriented soul-jazz in sharper relief. Midnight Creeper was a successful soul-jazz record because the group managed to hit the right tone and groove, but here his group sounds awkward and uneasy. There are a few good moments scattered throughout the album, particularly by Mitchell, but overall, Say It Loud! is one of the weakest records in Donaldson's catalog.” AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Rating:
AllMusic 1.5 / 5 ; Discogs 4.28 / 5