The Time Is Right

LOU DONALDSON

TRACKLIST

  • WRITTEN BY
    Lou Donaldson

  • WRITTEN BY
    Nicholas Brodszky
    Sammy Cahn

  • WRITTEN BY
    Jesse Stone

  • WRITTEN BY
    Hoagy Carmichael
    Ned Washington

  • WRITTEN BY
    Bertolt Brecht
    Kurt Weill

  • WRITTEN BY
    Lou Donaldson

  • WRITTEN BY
    Johnny Mercer
    Victor Schertzinger

PERSONNEL

ALTO SAXOPHONE
Lou Donaldson

BASS
Laymon Jackson

CONGAS
Ray Barretto

DRUMS
Dave Bailey

PIANO
Horace Parlan

TRUMPET
Blue Mitchell

PRESSING INFORMATION

LABEL:
FORMAT:
COUNTRY:
NOTE:

Blue Note – BLP 4025
LP, Mono | 12”, 33⅓ RPM
United States / 1960
Original Pressing

SYNOPSIS

The Time Is Right captures the alto saxophonist at a pivotal point in his Blue Note years, recorded in 1959 and released in 1960. By this time, Lou Donaldson had already established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on the alto, carrying forward the bebop tradition of Charlie Parker but with a bluesier, earthier sensibility. The Time Is Right finds him in the company of an all star lineup including Horace Parlan on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Laymon Jackson on bass, Dave Bailey on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas, delivering a set that balances hard bop drive with soulful lyricism. Standards such as “Be My Love” sit comfortably alongside blues originals, all propelled by Donaldson’s warm, expressive tone. This album stands as an essential snapshot of Donaldson’s artistry just before he moved further into soul jazz territory, and it remains a quintessential Blue Note session for collectors and fans alike.

GENRE & STYLE

Jazz
Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz

COVER DESIGN
Reid Miles

LINER NOTES
Ira Gitler

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Francis Wolff

PRODUCER
Alfred Lion

RECORDED & LACQUER CUT BY
Rudy Van Gelder

IDENTIFIERS

47 W 63rd • NYC address on labels; 43 West 61st St., New York 23 address on back.
Deep groove, RVG and Plastylite "ear" stamps on both sides.
Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout): RVG BN-LP-4025·A· P 9M
Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout): RVG BN-LP-4025·B· P 9M