Donald Byrd – Chant (LP, Blue Note)

Trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams had a formidable partnership throughout the early 1960s, making a series of highly regarded hard bop albums. Yet somehow this masterful quintet session from April 1961 (which also features Herbie Hancock, sounding exceptionally fine on his very first Blue Note recording session) remained unreleased for nearly 20 years. Of particular note are Herbie’s playing on “Great God” and the sophisticated excellence the entire ensemble brings to Duke Pearson’s masterpiece composition “Chant.”