The Quartet / Quintet / Sextet in Bloomington, MN

Since
Quartet/Quintet/Sextet
is
Lou Donaldson
's first full-length album, it's not surprising that it captures the alto saxophonist at the height of his
Charlie Parker
influence. Throughout the album -- on CD, the collection features all the music on the 12" LP, music from its 10" incarnation, and three alternate takes --
Donaldson
plays in a straight bop vein, whether on up-tempo swingers or ballads. Most of the songs on the collection are standards, with a couple of fine originals from
and pianist
Horace Silver
spicing the mix; in particular,
Silver
's rollicking, Latin-tinged
"Roccus"
is a standout. While
'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. Among his fellow musicians on
are
, bassist
Gene Ramey
, drummer
Art Taylor
, trumpeter
Blue Mitchell
, pianist
Elmo Hope
, and trumpeter
Kenny Dorham
. Everyone plays in a straight bop and hard bop tradition, contributing fine performances to a strong debut effort by
. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine