Donald Byrd

• THE WILLIAM CLAXTON COLLECTION

• 180-GRAM PURE VIRGIN VINYL

• LIMITED EDITION IN GATEFOLD PACKAGING

• 4 STARS DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

Before making his mark with several fine Blue Note albums from the late ‘50s through the ‘60s, trumpeter Donald Byrd got his start with several blowing dates for Savoy, Prestige, and a few other independent labels. Byrd’s Word was one of his earliest albums as a leader, and finds him in the company of Basie alum and tenor saxophonist Frank Foster, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Kenny Clarke. The group romps through a mix of standards (“Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Star Eyes”), a Foster original (“Winterset”), and a pair of compositions by Donald Byrd. “If I Love Again”, which completes the session but was only originally issued on a 1955 Savoy LP titled Montage (featuring various artists), has been added as a bonus.

PERSONNEL:

• DONALD BYRD, trumpet
• FRANK FOSTER, tenor sax
• HANK JONES, piano
• PAUL CHAMBERS, bass
• KENNY CLARKE, drums

New York, September 29, 1955.

TRACKS:

• SIDE A:
• 01 WINTERSET
• 02 GOTCHA GOIN’ ‘N’ COMIN’
• 03 IF I LOVE AGAIN

• SIDE B:
• 01 LONG GREEN
• 02 STAR EYES
• 03 SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME