GERALD LEVERT Vinyl & CDs

Review: Jai Alai's latest release brings forth a collection of forgotten vinyl tracks that have been previously unreleased on 7" format or limited to CD-only albums. Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, to give him his full name, was a pivotal figure in jazz history and a prominent trumpeter and flugelhorn player after his stint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the mid-50s. Collaborating with jazz icons like John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, and Sonny Rollins, Byrd's journey evolved into experimenting with jazz fusion, African rhythms, and r&b by the late 60s. His transformative fusion work, notably with the Blackbyrds, reshaped the jazz-funk landscape, paving the way for dance jazz on disco floors and becoming a wellspring for hip-hop samples. These are two of his many great moments of soul-drenched goodness.