Jazz icon Lou Donaldson dies at the age of 98
In Lou Donaldson, the music world has lost one of its great voices: The saxophonist, who fused soul, blues and pop into a unique sound, died at the age of 98.
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- The renowned US jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson has died at the age of 98, as announced on his website.
- Donaldson shaped the bebop scene, worked with greats such as Thelonious Monk and made trumpeter Clifford Brown famous.
- With his warm sound and hits such as "Blues Walk" and "Ode to Billie Joe", he achieved mainstream success; his music was later sampled by hip-hop artists such as De La Soul.
The celebrated US jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson is dead. He died on Saturday, according to a statement on his website. No details of the circumstances of his death were initially given. Donaldson was 98 years old.
The musician came from Badin in the US state of North Carolina and was drafted into military service during the Second World War. After the end of the war, Donaldson became part of the bebop scene, and in the early phase of his career he recorded records with artists such as the legendary pianist Thelonius Monk and the vibraphonist Milt Jackson. Donaldson was also instrumental in introducing the talented trumpeter Clifford Brown, who died in a car accident in 1956 at the age of just 25.
Over the course of a career spanning more than 50 years, Donaldson skillfully blended soul, blues and pop with his warm sound. With his 1967 cover version of one of the biggest hits of the time - "Ode to Billie Joe" - the jazz musician also found recognition in the mainstream. Donaldson liked to open his concerts with his 1958 number "Blues Walk". Hip-hop formations such as De La Soul and rapper Nas used his music as the basis for samples.
