Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill

This 1956 Donald Byrd's quartet session, subsequently released in 1957 on Transition Records, sees the young trumpeter leading a Beacon Hill based rhythm section featuring bassist Doug Watkins, pianist Ray Santisi, and drummer Jim Zitano. The perfect line up for getting through a selection of classic standards such as "Stella by Starlight," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," and "What's New". The atmosphere is easy and relaxed, and far from the hard bop / soul mood that later became Byrd's signature. This is a higly sensitive quartet that swings lightly and without unnecessary overplaying but with just the right hint of blues to make the music highly intriguing.