- Audio CD (15 Dec 2007)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Original recording remastered, Import
- Label: Toshiba
- ASIN: B00069BOJ6
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 694,920 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
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Donald Byrd was no stranger to Blue Note sessions by December 1958 when this album was made, but this was his first for the label as a leader and the beginning of a relationship that lasted until 1976. For the occasion, the trumpeter brought in two of his closest associates, Jackie McLean and Pepper Adams. Like all Blue Note sessions, the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Art Taylor is first-rate. The material, mostly from Donald Byrd’s pen, is prime hard-bop with variety and imagination.
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5 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
"Off to the Races" is a Good Start
13 Sep 2006
Format:Audio CD
Among the 12 recent Blue Note RVG reissues, two are albums by Donald Byrd featuring Pepper Adams, "Royal Flush" (see my review) and this title "Off to the Races." (The trumpeter and the bari-saxophonist do make glorious music together, and all of their non-live sessions have been available for some time in the 6CD Mosaic set "The Complete Blue Note Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams Studio Sessions.") This December 21, 1958 session is Byrd's first as a leader for Blue Note, and he is joined additionally by Jackie McLean on alto sax, and the formidable rhythm trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Art Taylor on drums. The material here is very similar to that on "Byrd in Hand" (see my review) -- straight ahead hard bop with excellent front-line interplay. However, I would think the general jazz public would rather have "Chant" or "The Cat Walk" re-released, instead of this above average blowing session. But at the rate that Donald Byrd titles are coming out lately, maybe we'll see them too shortly. And for now, enjoy the start of Byrd's long Blue Note race.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
McClean steals the show... overall albums cooks ! ! !
6 May 2010
Format:Audio CD
Frankly speaking (maybe someone can enlighten me), the comparison of Byrd as a trumpeter to Clifford Brown baffles me... however, I can definitely see comparing him to any of the greats as a bandleader, because his ensembles were definitely crack tight and full talent (be it via the bebop, hard bop or soul Jazz era.) - - If anything Byrd reminds me a lot of Oliver Nelson... Nelson wrote and arranged great tunes, put together at least one of the greatest Jazz albums of all time and recorded many other greats... but as a sax player, I wouldn't quite say he blew me away at all times. - - The same, in my argument is true of Byrd... clearly a rich enough conceptualist to inspire great ensembles, great session man but when trying to blow high tempo bop (such as Lover Come Back To Me) often flubbed notes painfully, despite streams of great ideas (ideas that he probably hipped his band members too as a professor.) In contrast though, he is at his peak on ballads and tunes that swing but aren't over the top tempo wise (Like Miles Davis, Byrd understood space... sometimes followed in his lead... yet seemed to try hard to stand his own ground - - personally speaking, I'm more into Byrd visa vis all his eras than Davis... Should any of the Jazz Police be reading this, feel free to whine.) - - That said, even when Byrd was flubbing his keister off, ideas flowed in ways none of the "technical perfectionist school" trumpeters ever could, and like a lot of great boxers, even though he may not have landed every punch, when he did, you best better have been grateful that it was a bandstand not a boxing ring, otherwise, you'd have been out for the count.
So we discuss Off To The Races... The presence of Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Art Taylor go without saying... The guys go together like bread, peanut butter and jelly... pizza, cheese and tomato sauce... Heck, Manny, Moe and Jack... they were born to swing together... In addition, the ensemble provides grounding for McClean to walk the middle ground... A Charlie Parker worshipper, also capable of playing far out avant garde stuff, here he stretches out, yet swings tastily... and Pepper Adams cooks on the bari.
SUDWEST FUNK represents a great vehicle for Byrd as well as McClean- - a 12 bar blues which allows Byrd to really show off his distinct tone... and for McClean to dig into both a Parker and Byrd vein... in contrast Paul's Pal is definitely Pepper's vehicle... he swings so effortlessly its almost as if his horn has melted down into Dexter's tenor, but still has the room shattering blast of a bari... Byrd answers his solo as only richly conceptual and sharp Byrd can in his league.
The album closes with a jumpy blues that gives Wynton Kelly ample space and let's the ensemble (including the alto/bari/trumpet mix) show off their tightness... Sam Jones also gets a taste... Wynton Kelly also takes a short but ridiculously swinging and punchy solo.
Overall, memorable 1958 hard bop session worth adding to your collection !
So we discuss Off To The Races... The presence of Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones and Art Taylor go without saying... The guys go together like bread, peanut butter and jelly... pizza, cheese and tomato sauce... Heck, Manny, Moe and Jack... they were born to swing together... In addition, the ensemble provides grounding for McClean to walk the middle ground... A Charlie Parker worshipper, also capable of playing far out avant garde stuff, here he stretches out, yet swings tastily... and Pepper Adams cooks on the bari.
SUDWEST FUNK represents a great vehicle for Byrd as well as McClean- - a 12 bar blues which allows Byrd to really show off his distinct tone... and for McClean to dig into both a Parker and Byrd vein... in contrast Paul's Pal is definitely Pepper's vehicle... he swings so effortlessly its almost as if his horn has melted down into Dexter's tenor, but still has the room shattering blast of a bari... Byrd answers his solo as only richly conceptual and sharp Byrd can in his league.
The album closes with a jumpy blues that gives Wynton Kelly ample space and let's the ensemble (including the alto/bari/trumpet mix) show off their tightness... Sam Jones also gets a taste... Wynton Kelly also takes a short but ridiculously swinging and punchy solo.
Overall, memorable 1958 hard bop session worth adding to your collection !
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Full Throttle Hard Bop
6 May 2008
Format:Audio CD
Over the course of the past couple months, Donald Byrd has slowly supplanted Freddie Hubbard as my favorite trumpet player. Byrd has such a great combination of lyricism and a full, rich tone and it's shown off to great effect on Off to the Races, Byrd's first date as a leader on Blue Note (although he had led sessions on other labels prior to this). Byrd is joined by Jackie McLean (alto sax), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Wynton Kelly (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Art Taylor (drums).
Byrd is one of the most underrated composers in jazz in my opinion (See his fabulous "Tanya" on Dexter's One Flight Up). He composed all but two of the pieces on this album, the exceptions being the standard "Lover Come Back to Me", given a quick bop treatment here, and Sonny Rollins's "Paul's Pal's", another great tune that'll follow you around for days. "Sudwest Funk" is true to its billing, a deep, funky blues with a great central riff, given weight by the three horn interplay. "When Your Love Has Gone" is a stunning ballad with Byrd as the solo horn. Wynton Kelly is outstanding on this track, providing subtle shading to back Byrd's soulful trumpet lines. "Off to the Races" is an extended blues march that kicks off with a great drum into from Taylor before moving into another heavy unison horn riff. The length of the piece allows all the players to show off their skills. Finally, "Down Tempo" is a bluesy piece highlighted by some funky piano work from Kelly and some tight bass from Jones. Greasy.
This is one of those great albums like Mobley's Soul Station or Clark's Cool Struttin', providing a blueprint of what hard bop should sound like. With a great cast of players and solid set of songs, this is one race whose outcome won't disappoint.
Byrd is one of the most underrated composers in jazz in my opinion (See his fabulous "Tanya" on Dexter's One Flight Up). He composed all but two of the pieces on this album, the exceptions being the standard "Lover Come Back to Me", given a quick bop treatment here, and Sonny Rollins's "Paul's Pal's", another great tune that'll follow you around for days. "Sudwest Funk" is true to its billing, a deep, funky blues with a great central riff, given weight by the three horn interplay. "When Your Love Has Gone" is a stunning ballad with Byrd as the solo horn. Wynton Kelly is outstanding on this track, providing subtle shading to back Byrd's soulful trumpet lines. "Off to the Races" is an extended blues march that kicks off with a great drum into from Taylor before moving into another heavy unison horn riff. The length of the piece allows all the players to show off their skills. Finally, "Down Tempo" is a bluesy piece highlighted by some funky piano work from Kelly and some tight bass from Jones. Greasy.
This is one of those great albums like Mobley's Soul Station or Clark's Cool Struttin', providing a blueprint of what hard bop should sound like. With a great cast of players and solid set of songs, this is one race whose outcome won't disappoint.
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