Voted New Star on Trumpet in Down Beat’s 1957 Critics Poll and Heard on no fewer than 36 recording sessions that same year, Donald Byrd was one of the fastest-rising talents of the hard-bop movement then reshaping the New York jazz scene. In July 1958, he assembled a quartet with a rhythm section featuring Walter Davis Jr., Doug Watkins, and Art Taylor for his first European tour, which took him to jazz festivals and concert appearances in Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden, and Norway. Tenor saxophonist Bobby Jaspar joined the group on several occasions during the tour and became a regular collaborator during Byrd’s subsequent stay in Paris.

Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter, composer and vocalist.

The Cat Walk is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label in 1962 as BLP 4075.

Altoist Jackie McLean's second session as a leader is reissued on this SACD. The music that he makes with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Elmo Hope, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor is essentially hard bop with fairly simple (or in some cases nonexistent) melody statements preceding two romps through the "I Got Rhythm" chord changes, a pair of blues, a thinly disguised "Embraceable You" and a straightforward version of "A Foggy Day". Enjoyable if not really essential music from the up-and-coming altoist.

New Soil is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label. It features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Walter Davis Jr., bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Pete La Roca.

This album was recorded in the late 1950s but not released until 1964 to capitalize on John Coltrane's ever-increasing fame and success. Essentially an improvised extended jam session with Donald Byrd on trumpet, Red Garland on piano and drummer Art Taylor, this epitomizes Coltrane's trademark "sheets of sound".

Whims of Chambers is a jazz album by the bassist Paul Chambers released on the Blue Note label circa January 1957. The album features performances by Chambers with trumpeter Donald Byrd, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Horace Silver and drummer ”Philly” Joe Jones.

"No Room For Squares" is comprised of two unforgettable 1963 sessions by Hank Mobley. The star-studded performances feature Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock, John Ore, Butch Warren and Philly Joe Jones. Standouts include “Me 'N You”, “Carolyn” and the title-track. This is gritty hard-bop at its finest. Essential.

The Young Bloods is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Phil Woods recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label. Despite the presence of co-leader Donald Byrd, Woods wrote four of the six tracks and dominates the solo offerings, hence the recording date is attributed to Woods, which conveniently also preserves the integrity of my alphabetic by artist filing system.

These 1957 sessions were the first Jimmy Smith did with horns after his recording debut the previous year. With the calibre of the top-rank musicians involved – Smith, the first to translate Bird’s innovations to the organ, altoist Donaldson, the blues-drenched Bird follower, and both Mobley and Byrd contributing some thoughtful blowing of their own on tenor and trumpet respectively - the overall results were rewarding.

"Wailing With Lou" is a hard bop album by saxophonist Lou Donaldson. It features performances by Donaldson's Quintet with Donald Byrd, Herman Foster, Peck Morrison, and Art Taylor.

Trumpeter Donald Byrd released this interesting and unusual album in 1965 featuring vocalists and a full horn section, building on the experimentation he began on this record's predecessor, "A New Perspective". Byrd is supported here by a typically superb band, notably a young Herbie Hancock on piano. Also playing on these original tunes by Byrd are Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone, Freddie Roach on organ, Grant Green on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Grady Tate on drums. Pianist Duke Pearson, while not appearing on the album, did produce half the songs (Byrd produced the other half) and served as arranger.

Overshadowed throughout his life by his friends Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, Elmo Hope was a talented pianist and composer whose life was cut short by drugs. Originally released in 1956, Hope's superb album Informal Jazz is now available on SACD. Hope's solo spots are the best part of the record but some of the most well-known jazz artists of the time also guested, including tenor sax greats John Coltrane and Hank Mobley and trumpeter Donald Byrd.

Davis Cup is the debut album by American pianist Walter Davis Jr. featuring performances recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label in 1960. It would be his only album for the label and one of the few recordings where he figured as the leader.

Dexter Gordon's 1964 album "One Flight Up" was recorded while the tenor saxophonist was living and working in Paris and consists of three lengthy pieces, two of which were contributed by Gordon's bandmates, trumpet player Donald Byrd and pianist Kenny Drew. The lineup is rounded out by Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and drummer Art Taylor.