RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT

Here Tis up and under

RUFFIN: EARLY IN HIS CAREER PLAYING SMALL VENUES, NEA JAZZ MASTER AND ALTO SAXOPHONIST LOU DONALDSON RAN INTO A PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO AMPLIFICATION—NO MIC, NO PIANO, NOTHING.

DONALDSON: SO WE GOT THE ORGAN TO KILL THREE OR FOUR PROBLEMS AT ONE TIME.  BUT IT WORKED SO SUCCESSFULLY WE CONTINUED TO USE IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. I SAW THE VALUE OF USING THE ORGAN ESPECIALLY IN THESE SMALL CLUBS BUT IT EVENTUALLY WORKED FINE ON RECORDS, TOO. BECAUSE THE ORGAN GIVES YOU THE SOUND OF A BIG BAND IF IT'S PLAYED CORRECTLY AND THE PEOPLE LOVE IT.

RUFFIN: THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH LOU DONALDSON WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

Excerpt of "Here Tis ”and "Cool Blues” composed by Charlie Parker and performed by Lou Donaldson on the album, Here ‘Tis, used courtesy of Blue Note / EMI Capitol and used by permission of Tunemaker Music. (BMI)

Audio excerpt from the album, Live on the QE2, used courtesy of Chiaroscuro Records