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Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson hadn't recorded for Blue Note since 1963 when he returned to the label in 1967 and began a new chapter in his lengthy career.
Sweet Papa Lou had helped lay Blue Note's soul jazz foundation alongside Hammond B3 organists including Jimmy Smith, Baby Face Willette, and Big John Patton going back to the late-1950s thru the early-60s on standout dates including his own Here 'Tis, Good Gracious!, and The Natural Soul.
Upon his return Donaldson pushed ahead with a new hard-grooving sound on 1967's Alligator Bogaloowhich was the first of his many collaborations with organ virtuoso Lonnie Smith and also featured the young guitar star George Benson and the impossibly funky drummer Leo Morris (aka Idris Muhammad).
On Mr. Shing-A-Ling he added the bluesy trumpeter Blue Mitchell to the mix, and for 1968's soul jazz manifesto Midnight Creeper he got the whole gang back together for a greasy 6-song set including the jaunty title track, "Love Power," "Bag of Jewels," and "Dapper Dan."
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After his six years with the seminal John Coltrane Quartet, the master drummer Elvin Jones signed with Blue Note in 1968 and began building his own career as a bandleader.
His first two albums for the label were spare trio outings—Puttin’ It Together and The Ultimate—both featuring saxophonist Joe Farrell and bassist Jimmy Garrison. For his next album—1969’s unfettered post-bop exploration Poly-Currents—Jones expanded his ensemble with additional woodwinds and percussion while still maintaining spacious realms for the musicians to delve into on modal band member originals including “Agenda,” Agappe Love,” “Mr. Jones,” and “Whew.”
Jones is joined throughout by a cast that includes Farrell on tenor saxophone, English horn, and flutes, George Coleman on tenor saxophone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Fred Tompkins on flute, Wilbur Little on bass, and Cuban conguero Candido Camero.
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