Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne

• Description
• Release details
• Tracklist

• Donald Byrd’s 1974 fusion masterpiece Stepping into Tomorrow was a high-water mark of the legendary trumpeter’s vibrant latter Blue Note years. Byrd had begun recording for Blue Note in 1958 and, over the course of his tenure, evolved from a top-notch hard-bop trumpeter into a pioneer of R&B/funk fusion, leading the label’s own creative direction along a similar path. Byrd began to introduce elements of fusion to his music with his 1969 album Fancy Free and shadowed Miles Davis early-1970s moves with experimental sessions like Electric Byrd and Ethiopian Knights. When Byrd hooked up with visionary producer Larry Mizell for his landmark 1972 album Black Byrd a new sound coalesced: funky and sultry, sophisticated yet accessible, with intricate arrangements that allowed Byrd’s trumpet to soar over top. A string of commercial successes followed, the third of which was Stepping into Tomorrow featuring the standout title track and “Think Twice,” which would become touchstones for future hip-hop generations including artists like J Dilla, Madlib, and A Tribe Called Quest. The album featured contributions from saxophonist Gary Bartz, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Fonce Mizell, bassist Chuck Rainey, drummer Harvey Mason & others.

  This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

  Review

  AllMusic rating: AllMusic users: (72 votes) Read the AllMusic.com review

• Artist: Donald Byrd Label: Blue Note, UMe Format: LP Units: 1 Country: Worldwide Genre: Jazz Style: Jazz-Funk

• A1 Stepping Into Tomorrow
  A2 Design A Nation
  A3 We’Re Together
  A4 Think Twice
  B1 Makin’ It
  B2 Rock And Roll Again
  B3 You Are The World
  B4 I Love The Girl