Donald Byrd - Blackjack (1967/2015) [Official Digital Download 24-bit/192kHz]

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Donald Byrd - Blackjack (1967/2015) [Official Digital Download 24-bit/192kHz]

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Donald Byrd - Blackjack (1967/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/192 kHz | Time - 35:53 minutes | 1,41 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time - 35:53 minutes | 783 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front cover

One of three Donald Byrd albums from 1967 (the end of his hard bop period), this recording features the trumpeter/leader with altoist Sonny Red, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Billy Higgins. The six tunes (five of which are originals by Byrd or Red) are all quite obscure and to one extent or another quite explorative. One can sense that Byrd wanted to break through the boundaries and rules of hard bop but had not yet decided on his future directions. The music does swing and highlights include "West of the Pecos" and "Beale Street"; Byrd and Red in particular are in excellent form throughout the date.

Two years ago, we decided to begin remastering the jewels of the Blue Note catalog in hi-def resolutions. In order to develop a guiding artistic philosophy for this delicate endeavor, we donned our lab coats, ran dozens of sonic experiments and carefully referenced every generation of our reissues. Ultimately, we decided that our goal would be to protect the original intentions of the artists, producers and engineers who made these records and that, in the case of pre-digital-era albums, these intentions were best represented by the sound and feel of their first-edition vinyl releases. Working with a team of dedicated and groovy engineers, we found a sound that both captured the feel of the original records while maintaining the depth and transparency of the master tapes… the new remasters are really cool! – Don Was, President, Blue Note Records