Lou Donaldson
Alto Sax Solo on
Now's The Time

About

Lou Donaldson opens the solo section on alto sax, stretching out for eight choruses at approximately 161 BPM. Set within a swinging rhythmic framework, the 12-bar Blues form and the key of F, the solo navigates the chord changes with purpose. As the first voice heard after the head, Donaldson sets the improvisational tone before passing to Clifford Brown. "Now's the Time" is a swinging rendition of Charlie Parker's classic blues head from A Night at Birdland Vol. 2, performed live by the Art Blakey Quintet in 1954. The moderate pace allows the soloist to develop ideas with both rhythmic variety and melodic breadth.

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