Donald Bryd - Free Form LP (Tone Poet Vinyl Series)

1961 was a prolific year in the musical life of Donald Byrd that found the great trumpeter at the very peak of his hard bop era. That year alone Byrd would record four stellar sessions: Chant, The Cat Walk, Royal Flush, and Free Form. Byrd had been honing a sharp new rhythm section with the introduction of pianist Herbie Hancock who along with bassist Butch Warren and drummer Billy Higgins brought a modern yet soulful sound to the music. The final touch was inviting saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who was bringing a modernist edge to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers at the time, to join Byrd on the frontline. Presenting four Byrd originals, and one by Hancock, the set covered a broad stylistic range from the sanctified opener “Pentecostal Feeling” to the easy-going swinger “Nai Nai” to the evocative and expansive closing title track.

Blue Note Tone Poet Series

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket.

Tracklist:

A1 Pentecostal Feeling
A2 Night Flower
A3 Nai Nai
B1 French Spice
B2 Free Form