DONALD BYRD - Slow Drag (1967-2002) RVG Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Slow Drag was one of trumpeter Donald Byrd's final hard bop dates. Teamed with altoist Sonny Red, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Billy Higgins (who takes a surprise vocal on the title cut), this quintet outing features originals by Byrd, Walton and Red along with the standards "Secret Love" and "My Ideal." The music in general finds Byrd looking both backwards toward the blues and forwards toward modal music and hints of the avant-garde. A fine effort.  by Scott Yanow

Tracklist :

1 Slow Drag 9:47

Donald Byrd

2 Secret Love 3:58  

Sammy Fain / Paul Francis Webster

 3 Booker's Bossa 6:52  

Walter Booker / Cedar Walton

 4 Jelly Roll 5:21  

Sonny Red Kyner

5 The Loner 6:17  

Ronnie Mathews / Cedar Walton

 6 My Ideal 6:21

Newell Chase / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting

Credits :

Alto Saxophone – Sonny Red

Bass – Walter Booker

Drums – Billy Higgins

Piano – Cedar Walton

Trumpet – Donald Byrd

Vocals – Billy Higgins (tracks: 1)