Donald Byrd - Kofi

Solid copy of the 1995 LP. featuring performances by Byrd with Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin, Duke Pearson, Ron Carter, Bob Cranshaw, Airto Moreira, Wally Richardson, and Mickey Roker, recorded in 1969 and 1970 and released on the Blue Note label in 1995. The track Perpetual Love was sampled by Lord Finess on the track True and Livin from his 3rd album in 1996, The Awakening

Year Released: 1995 (Recorded in 1969 and 1970)

Genre: Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk

Description:

Kofi is a unique and essential album in the discography of American trumpeter Donald Byrd. While the music was recorded in two separate sessions in December 1969 and December 1970, it was not officially released by Blue Note Records until 1995. This makes Kofi a fascinating time capsule, capturing Byrd at a pivotal moment in his career as he transitioned from his hard bop roots into a more experimental and funk-inflected sound that would eventually define his commercial success in the 1970s.

The album serves as a bridge between Byrd's earlier, more traditional work and his later, more popular jazz-funk albums produced with the Mizell Brothers. The sound is a masterful blend of exploratory jazz improvisation with new, electric elements. The first recording session features a more acoustic, post-bop feel, with producer Duke Pearson's electric piano adding a subtle shimmer to the tracks "Kofi" and "Fufu." The second session, recorded a year later, is more deeply rooted in fusion, with the addition of a guitarist and Brazilian percussionists Airto Moreira and Dom Um Romão, which gives the tracks "Perpetual Love" and "Elmina" a distinct, spacy, and Latin-influenced groove. The track Perpetual Love being sampled by Lord Finess 1 year later for 'True and Livin' on his 1996 album, The Awakening

The album's delayed release, along with several other "vault" recordings from the period, has made it a favorite among jazz aficionados who appreciate it as a missing link in Byrd's sonic evolution. While it wasn't a commercial hit at the time of its creation, its eventual release allowed listeners to appreciate the adventurous and forward-looking nature of Byrd's playing and composing during this crucial period. Kofi showcases a bandleader with a deep musical curiosity, unafraid to blend different genres and styles, creating a sound that was both a continuation of the Blue Note tradition and a harbinger of things to come