Donald Byrd: The Cat Walk (Blue Note) [BLUE NOTE / EMI]

Why you'll love it

This edition presses the album on 180g vinyl in Germany. AllMusic gave it four stars and called it "an essential Byrd purchase," one of the best of his many sessions with baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Pressed in Germany
• Stereo mix

About the album

Trumpet and baritone sax shouldn't really get along, one all sparkle and the other all rumble, but Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams made it their thing. They worked together on several records between 1958 and 1961, and this one, cut in 1961 and issued by Blue Note the following year as BLP 4075, is the pair at full stride.

Pianist Duke Pearson is the secret weapon, writing "Say You're Mine," "Duke's Mixture" and "Hello Bright Sunflower" and co-writing the ballad "Each Time I Think of You" with Byrd. Byrd's own title track struts in hard bop style, and Neal Hefti's "Cute" gives Philly Joe Jones plenty of room to show off. Laymon Jackson holds the bottom end steady throughout. "Duke's Mixture" swings hardest of all, with Adams digging in, and every tune runs between five and a half and seven and a half minutes, so everybody gets a proper solo.

Steve Leggett at AllMusic called Adams's sound "the perfect counterbalance" to Byrd's sleek, lyrical trumpet. Pearson's sunflower tune, for the record, is the cheeriest thing in our jazz racks, and that includes the staff.

Also at Kops: more Donald Byrd on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Blue Note (cat# 7580710), a reissue of the 1962 album.