MARK RUFFIN: Now, a Jazz Moment…

PEE WEE MARQUESTTE: lADIES AND GENTLEMAN, AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL DOWN HERE AT BIRDLAND THIS EVENING, A RECORDING FOR BLUE NOTE RECORDS…

"Quicksilver" hot and under

RUFFIN: NEA JAZZ MASTER, LOU DONALDSON

DONALDSON: It's the best, best-recorded session ever done live.

RUFFIN: IN 1954, DONALDSON PLAYED IN THIS MEMORABLE SESSION AT BIRDLAND WITH THE ART BLAKEY'S QUINTET, WHICH INCLUDED TRUMPETER CLIFFORD BROWN.

DONALDSON: It was live. It was a live session. The people were into the music. And Clifford Brown was so dynamic you, you wouldn't believe. I would've played the job for no money. You got the energy, the projection from the music to the people, and you can hear it on the record.

"Quicksilver" hot, and under featuring Lou

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

Excerpt of "Quicksilver" composed by Horace Silver from the album, A Night at Birdland, used courtesy of EMI Capitol and by permission of Ecaroh Music (ASCAP).