March 7, 2019
This unusual set (reissued on CD by Blue Note) was one of the most successful uses of a gospel choir in a jazz context. Trumpeter Donald Byrd and a septet that also includes tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and pianist Herbie Hancock are joined by an eight-voice choir directed by Coleridge Perkinson. The arrangements by Duke Pearson are masterful and one song, “Cristo Redentor,” became a bit of a hit. This is a memorable effort that is innovative in its own way, a milestone in Donald Byrd’s career. ~ Scott Yanow
