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Posted On: August 1st 2026, 01:51 pm
Lou Donaldson - Mr. Shing-A-Ling | Blue Note BST-84271, Reedition, Tone Poet Series, Stereo, 2019 (1968)
Among the many albums Lou Donaldson recorded for Blue Note, "Mr. Shing-A-Ling" (1968) is undoubtedly the one that best embodies his shift toward funk, along with the indispensable "Alligator Boogaloo"(1967). Here, it’s all about the groove. From the very first bars, it’s clear that Donaldson is no longer just trying to make the music swing—he wants to get people moving.
To achieve this, he enlists Lonnie Smith, who, on the Hammond organ, weaves a warm and irresistible soundscape that would become one of the hallmarks of soul jazz of that era. On drums, Leo Morris (before he took the name Idris Muhammad) delivers a fluid, inventive, deeply funky performance that, to my ears, stands as one of the album’s true highlights. Jimmy Ponder on guitar and Blue Mitchell on trumpet admirably round out this exceptional lineup.
The masterpiece is the cover of Bobbie Gentry’s hit that opens the album, "Ode to Billie Joe". While it was already a soul-jazz classic, it would go on to become a hip-hop landmark. Its drum break, groove, and organ lines have been sampled an astonishing number of times, from A Tribe Called Quest to Kanye West, including Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Drake, and Flying Lotus.
More concise, the next track, "The Humpback" is Lou’s only original composition on the entire album. Elevated by the saxophonist’s dazzling melodic delivery, it’s a simple yet effective piece that instantly captures the attention.
Deeply rooted in the Blue Note sound of the late 1960s, "Mr. Shing-A-Ling" is also one of the records that has contributed most—often without our realizing it—to shaping the sound of several generations of producers. This alone amply justifies this beautiful Tone Poet reissue.
🎷🎹🥁🔥💚🩷
#jazzvinyl #recordcollection #loudonaldson #jazzfunk #hiphop
Among the many albums Lou Donaldson recorded for Blue Note, "Mr. Shing-A-Ling" (1968) is undoubtedly the one that best embodies his shift toward funk, along with the indispensable "Alligator Boogaloo"(1967). Here, it’s all about the groove. From the very first bars, it’s clear that Donaldson is no longer just trying to make the music swing—he wants to get people moving.
To achieve this, he enlists Lonnie Smith, who, on the Hammond organ, weaves a warm and irresistible soundscape that would become one of the hallmarks of soul jazz of that era. On drums, Leo Morris (before he took the name Idris Muhammad) delivers a fluid, inventive, deeply funky performance that, to my ears, stands as one of the album’s true highlights. Jimmy Ponder on guitar and Blue Mitchell on trumpet admirably round out this exceptional lineup.
The masterpiece is the cover of Bobbie Gentry’s hit that opens the album, "Ode to Billie Joe". While it was already a soul-jazz classic, it would go on to become a hip-hop landmark. Its drum break, groove, and organ lines have been sampled an astonishing number of times, from A Tribe Called Quest to Kanye West, including Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Drake, and Flying Lotus.
More concise, the next track, "The Humpback" is Lou’s only original composition on the entire album. Elevated by the saxophonist’s dazzling melodic delivery, it’s a simple yet effective piece that instantly captures the attention.
Deeply rooted in the Blue Note sound of the late 1960s, "Mr. Shing-A-Ling" is also one of the records that has contributed most—often without our realizing it—to shaping the sound of several generations of producers. This alone amply justifies this beautiful Tone Poet reissue.
🎷🎹🥁🔥💚🩷
#jazzvinyl #recordcollection #loudonaldson #jazzfunk #hiphop
Comments (3)
3 months agolavieenvinyle
#lonniesmith #idrismuhammad #bluemitchell #jimmyponder #tonepoet #tonepoetseries #souljazz #jazz
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