Donald Byrd’s dynamic 1973 live recording Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux gets its first-ever official release today on what would have been the legendary trumpeter’s 90th birthday. In July 1973, Blue Note Records headed to Montreux, Switzerland to showcase several of the label’s stars at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Produced by Blue Note President George Butler, live albums all titled Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux followed from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, organist Ronnie Foster, flutist Bobbi Humphrey, and vocalist Marlena Shaw, but one of the performances by Byrd remained unreleased in the Blue Note vaults, until now.

That summer, Byrd was fresh off the release of his hit crossover fusion album Black Byrd, the first of his innovative and incredibly successful studio collaborations with producer Larry Mizell. But in a live setting the band had a rawer, harder edge, as this searing set attests. Byrd led a 10-piece band that included Larry Mizell on synthesizers, Fonce Mizell on trumpet and vocals, Allan Barnes on tenor saxophone and flute, Nathan Davis on soprano and tenor saxophone, Kevin Toney on electric piano, Barney Perry on electric guitar, Henry Franklin on electric bass, Keith Killgo on drums, and Ray Armando on congas and percussion. The set list includes Larry Mizell’s tune “Black Byrd” along with otherwise unrecorded Byrd originals like “The East,” “Kwame,” and “Poco-Mania,” as well as an excellent cover of Stevie Wonder’s “You’ve Got It Bad Girl.”

Don Was, President, Blue Note Records: “Shortly after Mr. Byrd’s passing in 2013, we got an email from the noted British music icon, Gilles Peterson, inquiring about a legendary performance from 1973’s Montreux Jazz Festival. Inexplicably, the tapes had been tucked away in the Blue Note vaults. When we listened, we were knocked out: the 16-track, 2” analog master tapes revealed a more raw and gritty side of Donald Byrd’s 70’s music. As a special tribute to this Jazz Immortal and as a gift to the legions of aficionados who, like all of us at Blue Note Records, treasure the music he’s left behind, we are honored to present – on vinyl and CD for the first time – Donald Byrd, Live at Montreux from July 5, 1973.”

Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux is available now at the Blue Note Store on exclusive blue vinyl, black vinyl, CD, and all digital platforms. The vinyl release is all-analog and mastered by Kevin Gray. The track listing and credits are:

1. Black Byrd (Larry Mizell)

2. You’ve Got It Bad Girl (Stevie Wonder)

3. The East (Donald Byrd)

4. Introductions

5. Kwame (Donald Byrd)

6. Poco-Mania (Donald Byrd)

Donald Byrd: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals

Fonce Mizell: trumpet, vocals

Allan Barnes: tenor saxophone, flute

Nathan Davis: tenor & soprano saxophone

Kevin Toney: electric piano

Larry Mizell: synthesizers

Barney Perry: electric guitar

Henry Franklin: electric bass

Keith Killgo: drums, vocals

Ray Armando: congas, percussion

Original recordings produced by George Butler

Recorded live by Chris Penycote at Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland, July 5, 1973.

Mixed by Qmillion at EastWest Studios Los Angeles, CA

Vinyl mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio