”Byrd in Hand” by Donald Byrd on Blue Note BLP 4019

Byrd at his best. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Been after this Byrd on Blue Note for a very long time. It’s one of those elusive titles that I’ve never found a clean enough copy of. So, very happy to finally have landed this lovely example.One of Byrd’s best imho. The great combination of Byrd and Adams is well known and here we also get the addition of Rouse which elevates it even further. The rhythm section of Walter Davis Jr., Sam Jones and Art Taylor is a huge plus as well.Favorite tunes are; the opening standard ”Witchcraft”, ”Here Am I” a medium tempo beautifully melancholy effort penned by Byrd and ”Clarion Calls” the minor-key original by Davis Jr., with it’s brilliant theme and wonderful solos.Love the cover art on this one as well, with the orange tint and Byrd hanging out outside of Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs studio.