LOU DONALDSON Everything I Play is Funky - 1970 Blue Note LP RVG

Lou Donaldson – Everything I Play Is Funky (Blue Note, 1970 – RVG)

A certified groove essential from the golden age of soul jazz, Everything I Play Is Funky finds Lou Donaldson deep in his bag — gritty, melodic, and irresistibly rhythmic. Recorded and mastered by Rudy Van Gelder (RVG), this 1970 Blue Note session embodies Donaldson’s full transition from hard bop to the greasy, funk-infused sound that would define the decade.

Backed by a killer lineup — Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Jimmy Lewis on Fender bass, Charles Earland on organ, and Idris Muhammad on drums — the album radiates joy and swagger. Tracks like “Donkey Walk,” “West Indian Daddy,” and the timeless title cut Everything I Play Is Funky move with church-born swing and streetwise soul, blurring the line between jazz club and dance floor.

Label: Blue Note Records – BST 84353

Year: 1970

Genre: Soul Jazz / Funk Jazz

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (alto sax), Blue Mitchell (trumpet), Charles Earland (organ), Jimmy Lewis (bass), Idris Muhammad (drums)

Condition: [Insert grade, e.g., VG+/VG+]

Notable: One of the funkiest Blue Note sessions ever cut — a deep-pocket groove masterpiece with RVG clarity and Donaldson’s unmistakable soul.