Search - Donald Byrd :: Blackjack

An Excellent Album

D. Yeabsley | Wellington, wgtn New Zealand | 07/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Donald Byrd (trumpet), with Hank Mobley (Tenor sax), Sonny Red (Alto sax), Billy Higgins (Drums), Cedar Walton (Piano) and Walter Booker (Bass).

This was Donald's working band at the time of the recording, and the tunes are their favourite 'gigging' tunes.

Highlights: (1)'BlackJack' is an incredibly funky piece of music.

(2)- Billy Higgins - He's on fire for the entire album.

(3)- Sonny Red - excellent swinging alto madness in a James Spaulding manner!"

A Great Blue Note Session

Edward Abbott | Stuart, FL USA | 05/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of three Donald Byrd albums from 1967 (the end of his hard bop period), this recording features the trumpeter/leader with altoist Sonny Red, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Billy Higgins.



The six tunes (five of which are originals by Byrd or Red) are all quite obscure and to one extent or another quite explorative. One can sense that Byrd wanted to break through the boundaries and rules of hard bop but had not yet decided on his future directions. The music does swing and highlights include "West of the Pecos" and "Beale Street"; Byrd and Red in particular are in excellent form throughout the date.





Track Listing:



Blackjack

West of Pecos

Loki

Eldorado

Beale Street

Pentatonic



The Sextet



Donald Byrd - Trumpet

Sonny Red - Alto Sax

Hank Mobley - Tenor Sax

Cedar Walton - Piano

Walter Booker - Bass

Billy Higgins - Drums





Recorded 1967 Blue Note BST 84259 and is a Rudy Van Gelder recording.



Liner Notes by Nat Hentoff



One of the solid finds in his canon. Blackjack proved that he was still totally on top of his craft and this bop album with some of the greats as his sidemen are sheer testament to that fact.



This album is pure Byrd captured just before his excursion into fusion, funk and avant garde, which left many of his fans wondering what the hell is going on with Byrd?? Bur he needed to explore those concepts and that he did for most of the 70's and some of the 80's. Then later on he returned to his bebop roots.



Donald Byrd is still with us and keeps punching out the music he so loves and we as jazz fans have come to embrace.



This is one of those must have albums in his canon. For me this album has that magic touch, that has survived all these years and none of it sound dated at all."