places & spaces he's been: the DONALD BYRD poll

yeah - these are p weird pop songs tho!

def!

Cristo Redentor forever.

jammin' all the 125th street albums whilst cleaning house this am. not his greatest or most consistent stuff by any stretch, but damn satisfying radio funk. love byrd features big contributions from isaac hayes and has at least two definitive deep cuts. one of which is a should-have-been quiet storm touchstone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4P6kOt89N8

donald byrd + 125th street nyc — "i love your love" (1981)

also i threw fancy free from 1969 in the middle and yep: even on a low stakes possibly second tier soul jazz affair like that, idris muhammad just owns the whole set. stellar boogaloo playing from the under-mentioned guitar great jimmy ponder, as well!

thanks for the revive and reminder. queuing him up for tomorrow.

woulda voted Places and Spaces

out today: previously unissued live stuff from 73 with a large ensemble. only one track in, but it was "black byrd" so i'm biased af and this sounds amazing. badass. can't believe there's still stuff like this in the vaults.

the band, btw:

Donald Byrd: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals

Fonce Mizell: trumpet, vocals

Allan Barnes: tenor saxophone, flute

Nathan Davis: tenor & soprano saxophone

Kevin Toney: electric piano

Larry Mizell: synthesizers

Barney Perry: electric guitar

Henry Franklin: electric bass

Keith Killgo: drums, vocals

Ray Armando: congas, percussion

very recommended.

Yeah, my local jazz station has been playing the hell out of "You've Got It Bad, Girl"---also some youtube on this page:

Don Was, President, Blue Note Records: “Shortly after Mr. Byrd’s passing in 2013, we got an email from the noted British music icon, Gilles Peterson, inquiring about a legendary performance from 1973’s Montreux Jazz Festival. Inexplicably, the tapes had been tucked away in the Blue Note vaults. When we listened, we were knocked out: the 16-track, 2” analog master tapes revealed a more raw and gritty side of Donald Byrd’s 70’s music. As a special tribute to this Jazz Immortal and as a gift to the legions of aficionados who, like all of us at Blue Note Records, treasure the music he’s left behind, we are honored to present – on vinyl and CD for the first time – Donald Byrd, Live at Montreux from July 5, 1973.”

yep, it definitely has a bit more of an edge than the mizell-helmed studio records he would do around the time. if you like the more miles-centric sounds of his electric byrd album, this new set is definitely recommended. if nothing else, check out the version of "black byrd" that opens the set.🔥

is a used copy of "fancy free" on CD really worth $30?

― moonship journey to baja, Monday, 3 August 2009 18:14 (thirteen years ago) link

http://www.amazon.com/Fancy-Free-Donald-Byrd/dp/B000005HEM

― moonship journey to baja, Monday, 3 August 2009 18:15 (thirteen years ago) link

according to that amazon link a new copy on cd goes for $160 now

arrives after christmas, btw

the montreux set is great