DONALD BYRD "the cat walk" LP VG/VG New York USA RVG 1962 MONO

$

90

AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett  [-]

Trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams worked together on several recordings between 1958 and 1961, and The Cat Walk (released on LP in 1962) is among the best. A quintet setting, with pianist Duke Pearson (another longtime Byrd collaborator), bassist Laymon Jackson, and a lively Philly Joe Jones on drums joining the front line of Byrd and Adams, the sessions for The Cat Walk benefited from the writing and arrangement skills of Pearson, who contributes three compositions here, the impressive opener "Say You're Mine," "Duke's Mixture," and "Hello Bright Sunflower," which borrows its melodic structure from the opening bars of "Lullaby of Broadway" and features Byrd using a muted trumpet. Byrd contributed the title track, which attempts to capture the coiled, taut, but somehow still relaxed and assured gait of a tomcat, thanks in no small part to Jones' inspired drumming which hits the mark with stops and turns and smooth run-outs that are indeed very feline in nature. Byrd's playing throughout is typically sleek and lyrical, and Adams' sturdy, husky baritone sound is the perfect counterbalance, making The Cat Walk an essential Byrd purchase.

Donald Byrd ?– The Cat Walk

Label:

Blue Note ?– BLP 4075

Format:

Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono

Country:

US

Released:

1962

Genre:

Jazz

Style:

Bop

TracklistHide Credits

A1 Say You're Mine

Written-By – Duke Pearson

A2 Duke's Mixture

Written-By – Duke Pearson

A3 Each Time I Think Of You

Written-By – Donald Byrd, Duke Pearson

B1 The Cat Walk

Written-By – Donald Byrd

B2 Cute

Written-By – Neal Hefti

B3 Hello Bright Sunflower

Written-By – Duke Pearson

Companies, etc.

Record Company – Blue Note Records Inc.

Recorded At – Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Published By – Groove Music (3)

Credits

Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams

Bass – Laymon Jackson

Drums – Philly Joe Jones*

Liner Notes – Nat Hentoff

Photography By [Cover Photo] – Francis Wolff

Piano – Duke Pearson

Producer – Alfred Lion

Recorded By [Recording By] – Rudy Van Gelder

Trumpet – Donald Byrd

Notes

Recorded May 2, 1961.

A1, A2, B3 published by Groove Music - BMI

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Rights Society: BMI

Matrix / Runout (Label, side A): BN 4075-A

Matrix / Runout (Label, side B): BN 4075-B

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.