{"product_id":"donald-byrd-ethiopian-knights-180g-vinyl-lp","title":"Donald Byrd: Ethiopian Knights (180g) Vinyl LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eI’m not gonna front like I knew what this record was before it came across my desk,\u003c\/i\u003e because I didn’t. In all my years digging jazz records, paying special attention to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Blue+Note+jazz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eBlue Note\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?q=donald+byrd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDonald Byrd\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e titles especially, I have never heard of or seen this LP in the wild before. Maybe it just never caught my eye, lacking the angular graphic design that defined both Blue Note’s classic 60s bop aesthetic and the mid 70s jazz-funk era. Honestly, it looks more like a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Stax\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eStax\u003c\/a\u003e record or something (quick check: photo and art direction by \u003cstrong\u003eNorman Seeff\u003c\/strong\u003e, responsible for some of the weirder Blue Note covers from the period like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Bobbi+Humphrey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBobbi Humphrey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s \u003cem\u003eDig This\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Ronnie+Foster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRonnie Foster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s \u003cem\u003eTwo-Headed Freap\u003c\/em\u003e). The band is sort of a jazz generation mish-mash with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Bobby+Hutcherson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBobby Hutcherson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e on vibes, \u003cstrong\u003eJoe Sample\u003c\/strong\u003e (still can’t get over dude’s name) on organ, \u003cstrong\u003eEd Greene\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums and more. Accomplished \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Motown\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eMotown\u003c\/a\u003e guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eGreg Poree\u003c\/strong\u003e does his thing on side B with the help of \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Walker\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eDon Peake\u003c\/strong\u003e. The record is basically two extended tunes bridged by a shorter ballad (“Jamie”), and the longer sides (“The Emperor,” “The Little Rasi”) are super funky with breaks galore. If you’re into straightforward, rolling grooves without all the jazz-funk pretense, this is for you. Official 180g pressing with a fresh remaster celebrating 80 years of Blue Note, recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e180g black vinyl pressing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eall-analog remaster from the original tapes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlue Note 80th anniversary edition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003emusic label: Blue Note Records 2019\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003ereviewed by nick nightingale 08\/2019\u003c\/h6\u003e","brand":"Donald Byrd","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":17772459753562,"sku":"fr-4142","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/4542\/products\/donaldbyrd-ethiopianknights.jpg?v=1762277276","url":"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.sbs\/products\/donald-byrd-ethiopian-knights-180g-vinyl-lp","provider":"turntablelab.sbs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}