Search - Donald Sextet Byrd, Yusef Lateef, Berry Harris :: Complete Recordings

Donald Byrd made his recording debut as a leader on August 23, 1955. An all-star cast of Detroit natives was assembled for a live concert recording at the city's New World Stage featuring the incomparable multi-reed instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, piano giant Barry Harris, euphonium pioneer Bernard McKinney, and bass and drum stalwarts, Alvin Jackson (brother of famous vibraphonist Milt Jackson) and Frank Gant. This outstanding live recording stands out for several reasons, the most obvious being the exquisite quality of the music - Down Beat magazine awarded the album five stars. In addition to the fact that this was Donald Byrd's first recording as a leader, it also marks the trumpeter's sole recording with Yusef Lateef, and one of his few recordings with Barry Harris. To have all three together, at the onset of their careers and in the developing stages of their unique styles is a rare treat indeed. Of the seven tracks performed at the New World Stage, two were Byrd originals (Blues, Tortion Leve~, one was a piece by Barry Harris (Yusef), two were Gillespie compositions (Woody 'N You, Shaw 'Nuff) one was a Bud Powell tune (Parisian Thoroughfare) and the last was a version of the Dietz and Schwartz standard Dancing In The Dark. The Transition session on December 2, 1955 marks Byrd's first recording with the Jazz Messengers formation. Although the tracks included on this release - Dennis & Adair's Everything Happens To Me and Hank Mobley's Hank's Other Tune - were only two of the six tracks recorded for the date, we have decided to include them here, as they mark the only tracks that feature Byrd as the sole trumpeter. The other four tracks not included on this edition featured trumpeter Joe Gordon. Discon.2006