Donald Byrd "KOFI"

[Guest]

What is the deal with this Lp being so little known? Been on the for along time, but 80 percent of the people that know records, have never heard of this one. Does anyone have idea about this Lp.

[Sundog]

I really enjoy this album. Donald "doing" Miles.

[Daniel A]

It wasn't released at the time of the recording, but in the 1990s as a part of the "Rare Grooves" series, and then went out of print after a while. That might have contributed to its obscurity. It's quite a nice album, though.

[jazzbo]

I agree with these two gentlemen about the quality of the session, and think Daniel is correct about the reason it is little-talked up.

[JSngry]

Duke Pearson!

[Eric]

I think both this and Fancy Free (which was of the same era) are very nice. They are transitional albums for Byrd, but unlike Miles, what followed was kind of crappy.

[felser]

Unlike Miles, what followed was kind of crappy.

←

That would be due to the dreaded Larry Mizell. 'Black Byrd' was the biggest selling album in Blue Note history for a long time (Norah Jones certainly has wiped THAT fact off the books), but is, as noted, dreadful. And due to the success of it, the follow-ups were equally commercial. It could have been worse - Mizell originally pitched the idea to Lee Morgan before settling in with Byrd. There was a lot of this in the 70's, heartbreaking sell-out's. I remember seeing Gary Bartz live at the Tower Theatre in Philly, blowing stock funk phrases on electric alto, with some chick singer cooing "Ma-ca-ro-o-ni". Azar Lawrence ruined his career with some monstrosity called 'People Moving'. Joe Henderson remained listenable, but tarnished a little of his dignity with 'Black Miracle'. The most grotesque of all was 'Monuments', a funk/disco album on RCA by the (otherwise) great Jackie McLean. Contains the unfortunate track "Dr. Jackle and Mr. Funk".

[Eric]

Yeah, I have tried to listen to the Mizell stuff with no luck ... a shame because Kofi was/is a sweet recod.

[gdogus]

It wasn't released at the time of the recording, but in the 1990s as a part of the "Rare Grooves" series, and then went out of print after a while. That might have contributed to its obscurity. It's quite a nice album, though.

←

Daniel is correct. I happen to have a copy of the Rare Grooves CD, which I picked up in a used CD shop years ago. Without that, I doubt I'd ever have heard the recording.

So the further question is, will it come back into print, and if so, when?

[Daniel A]

So the further question is, will it come back into print, and if so, when?

I wouldn't expect this to come back soon; not much of Byrd's other 60s output is in print, or seems to attract much attention. I'm not sure Blue Note would get their money back with a new run of "Kofi". A pity, as I think Byrd himself and the album in general is rather more interesting than most of his other later Blue Notes. One of the last instances of Duke Pearson at the piano chair (Rhodes bench?) too.

[Rooster_Ties]

Yeah, I have tried to listen to the Mizell stuff with no luck ... a shame because Kofi was/is a sweet recod.

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I can't take the Byrd stuff with Mizell either (and I've tried many times, spinning used CD's in store listening stations -- but never bitten).

Kofi is a great date, though. Actually, probably my favorite of the 2 or 3 early semi-electric Byrd dates that predate Mizell.

[Guest akanalog]

electric byd is also good in this same vein.

also i like mizell stuff-people movin is a decent album, felser! i like it. i especially like the spacey EWF cover to end the album. not up to his earlier LPs as a leader, but not bad for the genre.

but i think the mizells get too much flack. they were really good at what they did.

i like wally richardsons work on the transitional byrd albums. why wasn't he more well known? i remember seeing a prestige LP where he was the leader but that was a long time ago.

[Noj]

IIRC, Electric Byrd was recorded at the same session as Kofi. Both are long time favorites.

I'm with you on the Mizells, akanalog.

[Daniel A]

IIRC, Electric Byrd was recorded at the same session as Kofi.

I believe Electric Byrd was recorded in between the two sessions that make up Kofi.

[Noj]

I knew it was something like that, thanks Daniel A!

[JSngry]

And then there's Ethiopian Knights, which is a rather flavorless neither-fish-nor fowl-outing. Somebody explain that one to me with something other than "Produced by George Butler"...

[Noj]

Is George Butler known for not knowing when to tell everyone to stop? The songs on EK just go on and on and on...

[JSngry]

Yet they go nowhere.

[andybleaden]

Yet I always enjoyed all three LPs...had the original two on vinyl ( sealed when I got em too!) and loved them.

Got the cds and also Kofi and for me they are great for chilling out over a few ciders late at night if the house is empty......the favourite is hard to say ...I like all three sets

yet I never dug the Miles stuff from this period...dunno why ...did n't get my foot tapping in the same way

[Guest akanalog]

i like ethiopian knights actually. i like it a lot.

wilton felder's bass especially.

i mean it is sort of neither here nor there in that it isn't totally deep or totally funky, but i like it.

[Guest]

Yeah, I know its a couple of sessions put together. I saw a copy once and passed on it, although it did not have the "RARE GROOVE" logo on the cover. I figured it to be something recorded around the time Electric Byrd and Ethiopian Knights ( my favorite Byrd lp). So was this an actual release for late 60's or early 70's? But why is it so hidden when discussing Byrd's output? And yes, everything after that takes a strong stomach to swallow that airy light funk/disco vibe of his later records.

[Guest]

Hello Guys!

I totally love Donald Byrd and have tried to aquire and listen to all his discs

I must defend the Mizell period a little. SURE it's not "real JAZZ" but I think it's very listenable if you like jazz, funk and fusion and don't expect it to sound like Byrds earlier output. What is bad about it is that Byrd does not shine on the trumpet. He's "locked in" by the production and songs

I would however say that the discs produced by the Mizell brothers should really have their name on them instead of the artists. So strong is their mark on their productions.

Another great early overlooked session with Donald that I would recommend is "Groovin for Nat" (Adderley) which is one helluva swingin disc! I think Duke Pearson was in there contributing as well? Simply fantastic!!!!!

Go and get it!

/Shaft

[mikeweil]

I like Fancy Free, Kofi, and Electric Byrd, but he lost me after that. I cannot listen to that Mizell stuff.

[Degiorgio]

I love Byrd's 'electric period' and think these albums are vastly underrated.. they are very lengthy compositions but rather than directionless I think of them as 'mood pieces' similar to the lengthy pieces on Miles' Bitches Brew , Big Fun, etc. If anything Byrd's 'electric' experiments are more overtly 'funk' than Miles'. I would say this brave period in Byrd's career starts with The Weasil on Fancy Free and continues thru the 2 sessions that make up Kofi, plus Electric Byrd and Ethiopian Knights....

everyone who knows my previous posts knows that I LOVE the Mizells production sound... so I also enjoy Black Byrd thru to Places & Spaces. I can dig even later Byrd - especially the Isaac Hayes produced stuff for Elektra - Love Has Come Around and Lovin' You were/are HUGE rare groove hits here in the UK.

[Guy Berger]

I just listened to Electric Byrd for the first time. Nice album! Definitely has a Bitches Brew/In a Silent Way vibe, though obviously shallower and without the genius of the Miles albums. I will have to check out Kofi and Ethiopian Knights.

Guy

Edited May 27, 2007 by Guy