Lou Donaldson
The Natural Soul (Blue Note 42307)

As Harry Truman once said, I never met a Lou Donaldson record I didn't like. And The Natural Soul is no exception … happy, stroll-down-the-street-with-a-bouquet-of-flowers-for-your-sweetie music, guaranteed to get your toes tapping and the corners of your mouth turned up.

Lou's got Grant Green, John Patton, Tommy Turrentine, and Ben Dixon on this one for a smooth, groovin', horny guitar-organ sound that makes you feel like you're an esteemed guest on a very cool 60s talk show.

His sax playing is seductive and confident, wrapping around your ears like a tickly feather boa draped over the shoulders of your most beloved stripper. Lou Donaldson never tried to make a statement with his horn … he just gave great massages with it. No offense to Archie Shepp, but I'll take the massage.

It's less serious than a lot of early 60s Blue Note stuff, indicating the fonky space Lou would create for the label a few years later. Lou Donaldson was always in his own world … and you know what, I want to move there.

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Review by Mason Bray