Off to the Races (Donald Byrd album) explained

Off to the Races
Type:	Album
Artist:	Donald Byrd
Cover:	Off to the Races (Donald Byrd album cover).jpg
Released:	March 1959^[1]
Recorded:	December 21, 1958
Studio:	Van Gelder Studio Hackensack, New Jersey
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	36:52
Label:	Blue Note BLP 4007
Producer:	Alfred Lion
Chronology:	Donald Byrd
Prev Title:	Byrd in Paris
Prev Year:	1959
Next Title:	Byrd in Hand
Next Year:	1959

Off to the Races is an album by American jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded on December 21, 1958 and released on Blue Note the following year.^[2]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine states, "There's nothing surprising about Off to the Races; it's simply a set of well-performed, enjoyable hard bop, but sometimes that's enough."^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Donald Byrd, except as noted.

Side 1

1. "Lover, Come Back to Me" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) – 6:52
2. "When Your Lover Has Gone" (Einar Aaron Swan) – 5:04
3. "Sudwest Funk" – 6:53

Side 2

1. "Paul's Pal" (Sonny Rollins) – 7:08
2. "Off to the Races" – 6:36
3. "Down Tempo" – 5:19

Personnel

Musicians

• Donald Byrd – trumpet
• Jackie McLean – alto saxophone (except "When Your Lover Has Gone")
• Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone (except "When Your Lover Has Gone")
• Wynton Kelly – piano
• Sam Jones – bass
• Art Taylor – drums

Technical personnel

• Alfred Lion – producer
• Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer
• Reid Miles – design
• Francis Wolff – photography
• Joe Goldberg – liner notes

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=SCAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=byrd+Off+to+the+Races&pg=PA45 Billboard Mar 30, 1959
2. http://www.jazzdisco.org/donald-byrd/catalog/#blue-note-blp-4007 Donald Byrd discography
3. Erlewine, S. T. [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r854613|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic Review] accessed August 30, 2010