Rare Sealed 2010 Out Of Print, Limited "Series" Edition #0355. 2lp, 45rpm 180gm Stereo. Although Considered To Be One Of "Bird's Children," Lou Donaldson Absorbed And Synthesized Other Pre-parker Influences, Such As Johnny Hodges And Benny Carter. This Recording Marks A Period In His Development Prior To A Stylistic Shift Away From Bop And Toward A Stronger Rhythm And Blues Emphasis. Three Up-tempo Tunes Are Pure Bebop; The Remaining Number Is A Medium Blues In B Flat, Quite Characteristic Of The Hard Bop Period. The Front Line On This Set Includes Donald Byrd And Curtis Fuller; The Rhythm Section Is Sonny Clark, George Joyner, And Art Taylor. Overall, Lou Takes Off Breaks No New Musical Ground, But It Is A Solid, Swinging Session Of High-caliber Playing.AMG- Lee Bloom