Donald Byrd Black Byrd on LP

Donald Byrd has had an episodic and very productive career. Whether it was playing at recorded jam sessions for Prestige in the 1950s, combining voices with a hard bop group on Cristo Redentor, or becoming a major commercial success in the 1970s with his funk/R&B recordings, the trumpeter was in the musical headlines for decades. One of the best of those '70s recordings is the groundbreaking Black Byrd, which was issued on Blue Note in 1973 and went on to become the biggest selling album on the label at the time. An upbeat and funky mix of jazz and rhythm & blues, Black Byrd marked the music legend's first collaboration with brothers Larry and Fonce Mizell who not only contributed in the production and writing departments, but provided musical support here as well. Byrd formed The Blackbyrds in the afterglow of the album's success, a group that consisted of his best Howard University students and with who he recorded a series of albums throughout the remainder of the '70s.

• Remastered and reissued as part of the Blue Note 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign 

• Vinyl initiative spearheaded by current Blue Note Records President, Don Was, to include 100 essential Blue Note albums 

• Includes special Blue Note 75 vinyl sleeve that features album cover art for 75 Blue Note titles 

• First run of vinyl to include Blue Note 75th logo on back of package 

• Key to the Blue Note 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign is the creation of high quality audio at an affordable price 

• All year long Blue Note will celebrate their iconic artists and the history of the label with various events, digital initiatives, vinyl campaigns and more