Donald Byrd - Mustang! (1966)

"Mustang" may not be the most famous hard-bop stallion from the Blue Note stables in the '50s and '60s, but it's highly enjoyable and emblematic of the genre. A bluesy melody with a Bo Diddley beat, a rhythm section masterfully driven by Waits's drums, a funky piano and efficient horn riffs. What more do you need to have everybody stamp their feet and snap their fingers? While the solos are not all memorable, they are always honest and in the groove. And "Mustang" even provides a bit of jazz trivia that will allow you to show off about this tune: it was written by altoist Sonny Red – who solos first – and signed with his real name: Sylvester Kyner.

Reviewer: Thierry Quénum "Mustang" may not be the most famous hard-bop stallion from the Blue Note stables in the '50s and '60s, but it's highly enjoyable and emblematic of the genre. A bluesy melody with a Bo Diddley beat, a rhythm section masterfully driven by Waits's drums, a funky piano and efficient horn riffs. What more do you need to have everybody stamp their feet and snap their fingers? While the solos are not all memorable, they are always honest and in the groove. And "Mustang" even provides a bit of jazz trivia that will allow you to show off about this tune: it was written by altoist Sonny Red – who solos first – and signed with his real name: Sylvester Kyner.

Reviewer: Thierry Quénum "Mustang" may not be the most famous hard-bop stallion from the Blue Note stables in the '50s and '60s, but it's highly enjoyable and emblematic of the genre. A bluesy melody with a Bo Diddley beat, a rhythm section masterfully driven by Waits's drums, a funky piano and efficient horn riffs. What more do you need to have everybody stamp their feet and snap their fingers? While the solos are not all memorable, they are always honest and in the groove. And "Mustang" even provides a bit of jazz trivia that will allow you to show off about this tune: it was written by altoist Sonny Red – who solos first – and signed with his real name: Sylvester Kyner.

"Mustang" may not be the most famous hard-bop stallion from the Blue Note stables in the '50s and '60s, but it's highly enjoyable and emblematic of the genre. A bluesy melody with a Bo Diddley beat, a rhythm section masterfully driven by Waits's drums, a funky piano and efficient horn riffs. What more do you need to have everybody stamp their feet and snap their fingers? While the solos are not all memorable, they are always honest and in the groove. And "Mustang" even provides a bit of jazz trivia that will allow you to show off about this tune: it was written by altoist Sonny Red – who solos first – and signed with his real name: Sylvester Kyner. ~ Review by Thierry Quénum

Tracklist:

01. Mustang
02. Fly Little Bird Fly
03. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
04. Dixie Lee
05. On the Trail
06. I'm So Excited by You
07. Gingerbread Boy*
08. I'm So Excited By You (First Version)

Personnel :

Donald Byrd - trumpet
Sonny Red - alto saxophone
Jimmy Heath, Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
McCoy Tyner - piano
Walter Booker - bass
Joe Chambers, Freddie Waits - drums