Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson, known for his bebop and soul-jazz work, died 9 November, aged 98, apparently following complications from pneumonia. His family announced his passing and mentioned that a private service will be held.
Donaldson is perhaps best known to the general public for albums such as the 1967 Alligator Bogaloo, which included Ode To Billie Joe, Pot Belly and It’s Your Thing. The classic status of his music has been underlined by the yet dubious honour of being sampled such contemporary R&B artists as Dr. Dre and Kanye West.
In the early stages of his career bebop was his main preoccupation, and he recorded with Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Philly Joe Jones and Clifford Brown, among others. However, perhaps commercially motivated, he moved towards bluesy, groove-based music that appealed to a broad audience.
Donaldson kept performing long after one might have expected. Already in the 1990s he was a veteran, yet even after officially retiring in 2018, he continued to make occasional appearances.
