John Coltrane (September 23, 1926 — July 17, 1967) was an American post-bop/jazz saxophonist and composer who released more than fifty studio and live albums between 1957 and his death in 1967 at age 40. Coltrane first recorded under his own name in 1957 after apprenticeships with Dizzy Gillespie, Johnny Hodges, and Miles Davis. That […]
Art Blakey (October 11, 1919 — October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader from Pittsburgh. For 35 years, he led the Jazz Messengers, a revolving-door band with some of the leading names in post-bop. Blakey co-founded the Jazz Messengers in 1954 with pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, saxophonist Hank Mobley, and […]
Horace Silver (September 2, 1928 — June 18, 2014) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He gained prominence in 1950 when his trio teamed with Stan Getz. In 1954, Silver co-founded the Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey. Their first studio recordings, issued as Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, featured Silver’s composition […]
Donald Byrd (1932–2013) was an American post-bop trumpeter who apprenticed with the Jazz Messengers and played on multiple mid-Fifties albums by Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Gigi Gryce, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, and John Coltrane. In 1959, Byrd released Off to the Races, his first of twenty-seven albums through 1976 on Blue Note. He embraced jazz-funk […]
The Blackbyrds were an American soul-funk band from Washington, D.C., named after the 1973 album by trumpeter and band-mentor Donald Byrd, who taught the members at Howard University. They released six albums and a soundtrack between 1974 and 1980 on Fantasy Records. Members: Kevin Toney (piano, synthesizer, vocals), Keith Killgo (drums, percussion, vocals), Joe Hall […]
N.C.C.U. — aka New Central Connection Unlimited — was an American funk band from Durham, N.C., that released the 1977 album Super Trick on United Artists. Members: Stanley Baird (saxophone), Thomas ‘Bonnie’ Clyde (alto saxophone, synthesizer, electric piano), Marion ‘Mouse’ Wiggins (trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizer), Charlie Brown (drums), Norris ‘Country’ Duckett (guitar), Aaron ‘Electric Man’ Mills […]
The 3 Pieces were an American jazz-funk/soul trio that released the album Vibes of Truth on Fantasy in 1975. Members: Andre Richardson (congas, percussion), Lincoln Ross (keyboards, trombone), Jerry Wilder (bass, lead vocals) The 3 Pieces coalesced in Washington D.C. around the talents of trombonist/keyboardist Lincoln Ross, bassist Jerry Wilder, and percussionist Andre Richardson. Ross […]
Street Lady is a jazz-funk album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd, released in 1974 on Blue Note. Tracklist: A1. “Lansana’s Priestess” (7:39) A2. “Miss Kane” (6:20) A3. “Sister Love” (6:11) B1. “Street Lady” (5:40) B2. “Witch Hunt” (9:42) B3. “Woman of the World” (6:51) Credits: Donald Byrd — trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals Roger Glenn — flute […]
Stepping Into Tomorrow is a jazz-funk album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd, released in 1975 on Blue Note. Tracklist: A1. “Stepping Into Tomorrow” (5:13) A2. “Design a Nation” (4:20) A3. “We’re Together” (4:25) A4. “Think Twice” (6:12) B1. “Makin’ It” (3:48) B2. “Rock and Roll Again” (6:09) B3. “You Are the World” (4:31) B4. “I […]
Black Byrd is a jazz-funk album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd, released in 1973 on Blue Note. Tracklist: A1. “Flight Time” (8:30) A2. “Black Byrd” (8:00) A3. “Love’s So Far Away” (6:00) B1. “Mr. Thomas” (5:15) B2. “Sky High” (5:59) B3. “Slop Jar Blues” (6:00) B4. “Where Are We Going?” (4:40) Credits: Donald Byrd — […]
