Alligator Bogaloo

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Alligator Bogaloo
Studio album by Lou Donaldson
Released 1967
Recorded April 7, 1967
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Genre Jazz
Length 35:38
Label Blue Note
BST 84263
Producer Alfred Lion
Lou Donaldson chronology
Lush Life
Alligator Bogaloo
Mr. Shing-A-Ling

Alligator Bogaloo is an album by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded for the Blue Note label in 1967 and featuring Donaldson with Melvin Lastie, Lonnie Smith, George Benson, and Leo Morris (later to be better known as Idris Muhammad).[1]

The success of the title track surprised Donaldson: "[W]e made the date and we were three minutes short. I said we don't have no more material. And the guy said just play anything for three minutes so we can fill out the time. So I just made the riff and naturally the guys could follow it. That's the only damn thing that sold on the record."[2]


Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[3]

The album was awarded 4 stars in an Allmusic review by Al Campbell who states "Alligator Bogaloo is one example of Lou Donaldson's successful combinations of hard bop and soul-jazz".[4]

Track listing[edit]

All compositions by Lou Donaldson except as indicated
  1. "Alligator Bogaloo" - 6:57
  2. "One Cylinder" (Freddie McCoy) - 6:48
  3. "The Thang" - 3:34
  4. "Aw Shucks!" (Lonnie Smith) - 7:23
  5. "Rev. Moses" - 6:27
  6. "I Want a Little Girl" (Murray Mencher, Billy Moll) - 4:29



  1. ^ Lou Donaldson discography accessed December 8, 2009.
  2. ^ Donaldson, Lou (2009). Let's Cool One (Transcript). "Before & After" with Larry Appelbaum. Portland Jazz Festival. 
  3. ^ Allmusic Review
  4. ^ Campbell, A. Allmusic Review accessed December 11, 2009.