DONALD BYRD / Black Byrd

Newly-remastered for vinyl as part of an overall Blue Note 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign spearheaded by current Blue Note Records President, Don Was.

One of Blue Note’s best-selling albums of all time, Black Byrd is a celebrated jazz funk release.

“Purists howled with indignation when Donald Byrd released Black Byrd, a full-fledged foray into R&B that erupted into a popular phenomenon. Byrd was branded a sellout and a traitor to his hard bop credentials, especially after Black Byrd became the biggest-selling album in Blue Note history. What the elitists missed, though, was that Black Byrd was the moment when Byrd’s brand of fusion finally stepped out from under the shadow of his chief influence, Miles Davis, and found a distinctive voice of its own. Never before had a jazz musician embraced the celebratory sound and style of contemporary funk as fully as Byrd did here — not even Davis, whose dark, chaotic jungle-funk stood in sharp contrast to the bright, breezy, danceable music on Black Byrd…” – allmusic.com

Features:
• Vinyl LP
• Re-mastered & reissued as part of the Blue Note 75th Anniversary campaign
• Includes special Blue Note 75 vinyl sleeve that features album cover art for 75 Blue Note Titles

Musicians:
Donald Byrd, trumpet, flugelhorn, electric trumpet, vocals
Allen Curtis Barnes, flute, oboe, saxophone
Roger Glenn, saxophone, flute
Fonce Mizell, trumpet, vocals
Larry Mizell, vocals
Kevin Toney, piano
Freddie Perren, piano, synthesizer, vocals
Dean Parks, guitar
David T. Walker, guitar
Barney Perry, guitar
Joe Sample, piano, electric piano
Chuck Rainey, bass
Wilton Felder, bass
Joe Hill, bass
Harvey Mason, Sr, drums
Keith Killgo, drums
Bobbye Hall Porter, percussion
Perk Jacobs, percussion
Stephanie Spruill, percussion

Selections:
1. Flight Time
2. Black Byrd
3. Love’s So Far Away
4. Mr. Thomas
5. Sky High
6. Slop Jar Blues
7. Where Are We Going?