Don Wilkerson's first Blue Note session, Elder Don (it was recorded before Preach, Brother! but released afterward), is a highly enjoyable set of hard-swinging, bluesy soul-jazz and hard bop. It's hardly a one-note collection -- "Senorita Eula" swings with a Latin lilt, "Scrappy" is a hard-hitting R&B number, the lightly Cuban recasting of Bob Wills' Western swing classic "San Antonio Rose" is fluid and infectious, "Lone Star Shuffle" and "Drawin' a Tip" are wonderful blues shuffles, and the ballad "Poor Butterfly" has a graceful, lyrical quality -- which is part of the reason why it's so impressive. Still, all of the credit for Elder Don's success has to go to Wilkerson, whose vibrant, robust tone dominates the session, and since he's playing with exceptional guitarist Grant Green and excellent drummer Willie Bobo, as well as pianist Johnny Acean and bassist Lloyd Trotman, that's no small accomplishment. In fact, records like this go a long way in proving that Wilkerson was one of the great underrated saxophonists of his time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
