Donald Byrd - The Early Years (1955-1958)
Label: ENLIGHTENMENT Catalog: EN6CD9026 Format: CD There comes a time in every jazzbo’s life when he has to confront how well he wants to eat. Byrd’s time came in 1973. The sides on this set date back almost 20 years before that, long before he hooked up for a considerable run on Blue Note. Just the same, he was already much more than just another young man with a horn. Already making a name for himself as a bebopper with stellar connections, this early days set really shows his indie side. Recording mostly for labels too small to tell him which end was up, Byrd’s muse is already in flight. Great blowing throughout, this fatty of a collection gives you so much bang for the buck that it’s hard to pass by, even if you only know Byrd from his later works. This set is a return to the time when Byrd’s Detroit stomping grounds meant as much to jazz as Kansas City. |