Donald Byrd - Mustang (6 tracks) +Album Reviews

Thoroughbred

Jack Baker | LeRoy,IL | 02/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This jaunty release from Donald Byrd features some excellent saxophone work from both Hank Mobley (tenor) and Sonny Red (alto). McCoy Tyner contributes rollicking piano lines for Byrd, Mobley, and Sonny to soar over, ably supported by the bass/drums combination of Walter Booker and Freddie Waits. The title track, written by Sonny Red, is a fast paced, bluesy number, featuring unison horns and tasteful soloing. The Byrd compositions "Dixie Lee", "Fly Little Bird Fly", and "I'm So Excited By You" are all excellent pieces. Mobley in particular is lyrical and concise on the six pieces he participates in. The final two cuts finds Joe Chambers replacing Freddie Waits on drums and Jimmy Heath playing tenor sax. "Gingerbread Boy" written by Heath is an excellent boppish piece, while this group's version of "I'm So Excited By You" is pleasing, but not as dynamic as the one earlier on the album. A very good addition to any jazz library, particularly for fans of Mobley, Byrd, or Sonny Red."

Vibrant, exciting and deeply satisfying

The Delite Rancher | Phoenix, Arizona | 12/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When 1960s jazz comes to mind, many listeners think of Coltrane's avant-garde excursions or "[...] Brew." Not here. Sonically speaking, this album even happened light years before "Electric Byrd." Rather than reinvent the wheel, "Mustang!" holds down the fort for straight jazz. Like a fine glass of Cabernet, the album has exquisite balance. From the fast sizzlers to the slow cookers, "Mustang" is deeply satisfying to the ears. Donald Byrd's tone and timbre is vibrant, exciting and lively. The improvisation expresses that openness and freedom found in the best jazz from the 60's. 'Dixie Lee' echoes 'Watermelon Man' as played on Hancock's "Takin' Off." The phrasing in 'On the Trail' resonates with what Miles was going for on "Kind of Blue." While "Mustang!" may call up other projects, it simultaneously sounds original. Despite its merits, this seems to be a pretty obscure release. Indeed, this album contains none of Byrd's hits like 'Rock Creek Park,' 'Walking In Rhythm' or 'Blackbyrds Theme.' So while it may never get significant recognition, this project stands as an undiscovered gem. As a jazz listener, "Mustang!" is one of those lesser-known and under-appreciated surprises that you've been looking for."

Good post-'60 BN Byrd

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 05/02/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By 1966 when this album was recorded, many modern jazz artists were incorporating all kinds of exotic and experimental stylings; this CD refreshingly features "mere" straight ahead hard bop blowing. It also was a time when on Blue Note the title track was often designated the "hit" side; in this case MUSTANG is a funky, soul-stirring tune just built for that designation. More intriguing are the tunes FLY LITTLE BIRD FLY, a scorcher, and ON THE TRAIL, where Byrd takes on a Miles Davis-like modal sound which is very effective. It's also instructive to compare the two versions of I'M SO EXCITED BY YOU, one recorded two years before the other and with a different personnel. Both are excellent. This is one of Donald Byrd's best post-1960 albums; only the tune DIXIE LEE, which is based on an over-simplified rock-and-rollish rhythmic pattern is less than interesting. A nice CD worth checking out."

Excellent

William R. Nicholas | Mahwah, NJ USA | 06/13/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have always wanted a 1960s Mustang, but I buy to many albums to save for one.

Maybe one day, maybe not. But until I have the bread or go to that big Village Gate in the sky, this 1960s Mustang will do just fine.

This Donald Byrd hard bop album has many features that made 1960s Blue Note albums great. There is blues, swinging numbers with excellent playing, graceful mid-tempos, and a crack band: Byrd, Freddie Waits on drums, Hank Mobley and Sonny Red on tenor and alto respectively, Billy Higgins on bass and the great McCoy Tyner on piano.

The playing is great on all the numbers but with Byrd, that is a given. Byrd always beefed up his bop to give the tracks something extra and in this case it is the two saxes. This was not uncommon for hard bop, but Byrd is such a good writer, he can add that extra later to even the most straightforward of jazz, and his brand of hard bop goes a step above some of the head-blow-head work of the era.

Byrd as a player is as usual is brilliant. Miles may be more well known for the contexts he put himself in--although listen to New Perspective, and later, Black Byrd-but Byrd has it all over Davis in prowess, moving across the range of his trumpet as agile as Miles changed musical styles. He is no doubt top tier in terms of prowess, only Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard giving Byrd a serious money run

My subjectivity gears me more towards more experimental Byrd work like New Perspective, Black Byrd, and the underrated Electric Byrd, which is more the dark Miles Style than the smooth funk Byrd soon used to diametrically oppose the Dark Magus' dark essays. But as hard bop, Mustang is the best I have heard, and if I had to play some every day, I would be happy to go with Mustang.

--Just an aside. I actually got to meet and watch drummer Freddie Waits play when attending NYU. I was feet from him and knew too little at that point to know who I was meeting. Lucky for him: I probably would have driven the master mad probing him about Donald Byrd, 1960s Blue Note, and the wood grain paneling in Rudy Van Gelder's studio.-"

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