Donald Byrd Jazz In Paris

Trumpeter Donald Byrd spent a few months in France in 1958, and a Paris concert resulted in two LPs' worth of material. Byrd's quintet at the time included Bobby Jaspar (on tenor and flute), pianist Walter Davis, Jr., bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. Byrd was just beginning to find his own sound in the late '50s and he is in excellent form on "Dear Old Stockholm," Sonny Rollins' "Paul's Pal," Jaspar's "Flute Blues," "Ray's Idea," and "The Blues Walk." This is a fine all-around hard bop session.

Trumpeter Donald Byrd spent a few months in France in 1958, and a Paris concert resulted in two LPs' worth of material. Byrd's quintet at the time included Bobby Jaspar (on tenor and flute), pianist Walter Davis, Jr., bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. Byrd was just beginning to find his own sound in the late '50s and he is in excellent form on "Dear Old Stockholm," Sonny Rollins' "Paul's Pal," Jaspar's "Flute Blues," "Ray's Idea," and "The Blues Walk." This is a fine all-around hard bop session.

The second of two sets that document a Paris concert by trumpeter Donald Byrd, Parisian Thoroughfare features Bobby Jaspar on tenor and flute, pianist Walter Davis, Jr., bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. Other than Byrd's "At This Time" and Davis' "Formidable," the quintet sticks to bop standards, many of which are quite concise and clock in at around three minutes. Longer versions of the title track (a high point) and "52nd Street Theme" are exceptions. This spirited, bop-oriented music is the equal of the first volume.

Donald Byrd & Gigi Gryce - Complete Jazz Lab Studio Sessions, Vol. 2 (1957) {2006 Lone Hill Jazz Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 431 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 181 Mb
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© 1957, 2006 Lone Hill Jazz | LHJ10254
Jazz / Hard Bop / Trumpet / Saxophone

Vol. 2 in the Lone Hill Jazz reissue label's Donald Byrd/Gigi Gryce Jazz Lab Project opens with three tracks that resulted from a planned college concert tour by the Jazz Lab and vocalist Jackie Paris, a native of Nutley, NJ, who also worked with Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, and Charles Mingus. While planning their tour, the team of Byrd, Gryce, and Paris conceived a didactic overview involving what Nat Hentoff described in the original liner notes as "some of the root channels of jazz with the blues as a primary linking element" but sketched "in broad chronological and stylistic skips."

Vol. 2 in the Lone Hill Jazz reissue label's Donald Byrd/Gigi Gryce Jazz Lab Project opens with three tracks that resulted from a planned college concert tour by the Jazz Lab and vocalist Jackie Paris, a native of Nutley, NJ, who also worked with Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, and Charles Mingus. While planning their tour, the team of Byrd, Gryce, and Paris conceived a didactic overview involving what Nat Hentoff described in the original liner notes as "some of the root channels of jazz with the blues as a primary linking element" but sketched "in broad chronological and stylistic skips."

This 10 CD set offers an exciting overview of some of the most important recordings made by American jazz stars in Paris in the Fifties. They are milestones of Modern Jazz, Bebop and Hard Bop recorded by some of the most important players of the time, including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Lionel Hampton, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, Mary Lou Williams, Lester Young and Donald Byrd. Treated like second class citizens at home, many American jazz stars not only got more recognition and respect in the French capital, but found much better playing conditions as well. From concert-halls like "L'Olympia" to the clubs of the "Latin Quarter" they were appreciated and celebrated, and their music met with a glowing enthusiasm.

Just a few weeks before his death, Eric Dolphy performed a concert at the Le Chat Qui Péche club in Paris on June 11, 1964, broadcast on French radio station France Musique, with a septet including fellow jazz luminary Donald Byrd on trumpet. The six tracks on this disc include selections from his albums Outward Bound (1960), Out There (1961), and Far Cry (1962), as well as a version of John Coltrane's "Naima". Personnel: Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass, clarinet, flute; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Nathan Davis - tenor saxophone; Jack Diéval - piano; Jacques Hess - bass; Franco Manzecchi - drums; Jacky Bambou - congas. The entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background liners.