Lou Donaldson
Alto Sax Solo on
Quicksilver

About

Lou Donaldson opens the solo section on alto sax, stretching out for one chorus at approximately 267 BPM. Set within a swinging rhythmic framework, the 64-bar AABA form and the key of D, the solo tests the player's command at high velocity. As a contrafact on "Lover, Come Back to Me," the underlying harmony is well-trodden territory, giving the soloist a sturdy platform for creative exploration. As the first voice heard after the head, Donaldson sets the improvisational tone before passing to Clifford Brown. "Quicksilver" is a high-velocity workout from A Night at Birdland Vol. 1, recorded live in 1954 by the Art Blakey Quintet.

Lou Donaldson was 27 to 28 years old at the time.