Musty Rusty

This remastered two-fer assembles a pair of LPs cut for the Cadet label by saxophonist Lou Donaldson alongside organist Billy Gardner. Although issued on Cadet, 1965's Musty Rusty follows in much the same vein as Donaldson's previous LPs for Blue Note -- credit reunions with the brilliant guitarist Grant Green and the underrated drummer Ben Dixon for the seamless transition, and even if Gardner can't quite yet fill the shoes of longtime Donaldson foil Big John Patton, the set's soulfulness and creativity still demand attention. Trumpeter Bill Hardman completes the lineup, which comfortably settles into a tight, focused groove with the opening "The Space Walk" and never lets up -- Donaldson originals like "Hippity Hop" and the title crackle with energy, and the melodic ingenuity of Green's guitar solos astounds. The title of 1966's At His Best portends some kind of career overview, but in fact it's an all-new session heralding the end of Donaldson's Cadet tenure -- moreover, it comes nowhere close to capturing the saxophonist at his most potent, settling for a rigid, disappointingly straightforward soul-jazz approach with few sparks of energy. Despite an intriguing cast of characters including, trumpeter Hardman, guitarist Calvin Newborn and the great drummer Grady Tate, the music is less than the sum of its parts -- Gardner is nevertheless at the peak of his immense talents here, proving himself a worthy successor to Patton's inimitable groove. ~ Jason Ankeny|