HiRez Poll Byrd, Donald - BLACK BYRD [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of Donald Byrd - BLACK BYRD

  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Terrible Content, Surround Mix, and Fidelity

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    25

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Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2019 reissue on Multichannel SACD from Dutton Vocalion of the album "Black Byrd" by Donald Byrd.
This Multichannel SACD release contains the original 1970s Quadraphonic mix, available commercially for the first time in over 40 years! šŸ¤Æ

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I've forgot what a mutha is this album. The Q8-only release suffered by the crappy duplication quality (and the one i have was SS) so i've leaned to stereo for a long time, but missed the quad mix which is immersive but not overthetop.
Not a cup of tea for everyone, but for fans of early seventies black funk (Mayfield, Hayes...) add a Herbie Mann twist (flute present!) and this is a must. Hope also Street Lady (which IMHO is even better) will follow on another batch of D-V releases.
A solid 9 both for music and mix.
 
Believe it or not the Canadian Q8 sounds almost as good as the SACD. I also have "Street Lady" on Q8, too bad they didn't do a 2fer. Perhaps Street Lady will be another DV release? I'm not that into jazz but purchased the Q8's years ago just because they were Quad and was impressed with them both.
 

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I know too well the canadian UA are excellent... problem is, these are rare!!!
 
i picked up a few gold shell Q8's the last few years (Carpenters Singles, couple of UA's) and while i found one or two sounded better than the domestic tapes i had already, i doubt they could rival an SACD from the mastertape source but i'm open to persuasion
 
i picked up a few gold shell Q8's the last few years (Carpenters Singles, couple of UA's) and while i found one or two sounded better than the domestic tapes i had already, i doubt they could rival an SACD from the mastertape source but i'm open to persuasion

Not to mention, when I was rabidly collecting commercially duplicated Open Reel tapes in the 70's a lot of which were dolby b encoded, running at 7 1/2 ips, when the majors started duplicating them at 3 3/4 ips [the speed of 8 and Q8 tracks] the DECREASE IN QUALITY was immediately apparent. I'm sure D~V secured a 15 ips master [or equivalent] and no matter how good the Canadian Q8 sounds, I would agree with Adam that there's NO comparison.
 
i picked up a few gold shell Q8's the last few years (Carpenters Singles, couple of UA's) and while i found one or two sounded better than the domestic tapes i had already, i doubt they could rival an SACD from the mastertape source but i'm open to persuasion

101% agree.
To say that UA candian gold cart sounds better than UA usa black or white cart is a euphemism....

BTW, can we be ready on the next D-V big batch for the last HH quad, Secrets? Hope so.
 
I voted 8. If you look at my history of votes I practically vote 10 all the time, but after a careful listen to Black Byrd I came up with an 8. In this particular case I don't think it was the surround or fidelity or mix which was all fantastic. It was however just the music itself, kind of lack luster for me, good but not a major hit.
I am glad I have it and will probably listen again.
 
Enjoyable, i vote 8. Pretty good music and a real good quad mix. Love the song where the drums move slowly around the room. I liked most of the music but a couple, mainly the title track, which i really like till the trumpet and flute come in. Whatever effect they used on them really was not for me, really shrill. Too bad cause i really liked that song. Glad to have it.
 
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I reviewed this today, playing it from an Oppo UDP-205 player, directā€“analog to a Marantz AVR-8500.

First and foremost with this reissue is the stunning mastering job of Michael Dutton, which once again brings a formally seldom heard quadraphonic experience back to life again. Itā€™s hard to believe that this title has ever been heard with such clarity; none better than this on 4.0 SACD. With all the quadraphonic titles Dutton Vocalion has brought back into modern light; itā€™s easy to become complacent about the level of riches weā€™re being afforded. Other companies have come and gone, but right now the musical legacy of various styles offered to us in quadraphonic by Dutton Vocalion is unmatched anywhere.

This is the kind of music that really gets my juices flowing; it canā€™t really be pegged into a certain style or even two for that matter. Black Byrd has an amalgamation of Jazz, Funk, Soul, Pop and Rock... I believe anyone into an eclectic mix of styles such as this will love this album as much as I do.

The liner notes details some of the musical road map for Donald Byrd; and what strikes me the most is hearing the music from my perspective of the players on this album. I mainly here a style that I heard on the Lou Donaldson album ā€œSassy Soul Strutā€ (Q8); which Donald having played with Lou on a few albums in the late 1950ā€™s seems to have had an influence on Mr. Byrd. Also playing prominently on this title are some members of the Crusaders; Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and David T. Walker. Anyone familiar with the Crusadersā€™ sound should hear a good dose of that here also. And finally, for me, itā€™s important to note one the greatest session guitarists around in Dean Parks (on a couple tracks.) His list of credits is massive, and any Steely Dan fans should know his name quite well.

This has some great guest musicians on it that Iā€™m familiar with, including:
Joe Sample ā€“ pianos
Dean Parks ā€“ electric guitar
Wilton Felder & Chuck Raineyā€“ bass guitar
Harvey Mason ā€“ drums
David T. Walker - Guitar

Hereā€™s the discogs page: discogs

Hereā€™s the current Dutton Vocalion page: Black Byrd SACD HYBRID
This release can also be played on a regular CD player in stereo.

Ratings:

Packaging: 10% (of 10%)

5%- Form & Function (Ease of access to its contents, appropriate size & secure storage.)
{Typical}

5%- Value (Extra contents considered- value added or excess trinkets.)
{Very Good/Excellent ā€“ Good info in liner notes by Charles Waring with Musician credits.}

Audio Fidelity: 30% (of 30%)

10%- Perceived Dynamic Range (Sounding loud / bothersome, clarity & quietness.)
{Very Good}

10%- Equalization (Balance across the frequency range appropriate for the music.)
{Very Good}

10% (of 10) Production qualities (Studio Production / live recording.) & Mastering.
{VERY GOOD/EXCELLENT ā€“ I donā€™t believe weā€™ll ever hear this any better!}

Surround Mix: 30% (of 30%)
10%- Degree of Discreteness between all channels (Level of ambience overall.)
{Very Good}

10%- Spatial Definition (How each note is projected to a defined point in the room.)
{Very Good}

10%- Instruments, Sound Effects and Vocals (evaluating instrument placement and levels)
{Very Good}

Content: 25% (of 30%)
15%- Does the music make you feel something (heartfelt, excitable, somber, self-reflective?)
{Very Satisfied}

10%- Overall quality of the music (How many songs resonate with you overall?)
{Satisfied ā€“ minus 5% for some vocal performances which I feel could have been stronger.}

Total 95%= Vote is rounded up to a 10.
 
I reviewed this today, playing it from an Oppo UDP-205 player, directā€“analog to a Marantz AVR-8500.

First and foremost with this reissue is the stunning mastering job of Michael Dutton, which once again brings a formally seldom heard quadraphonic experience back to life again. Itā€™s hard to believe that this title has ever been heard with such clarity; none better than this on 4.0 SACD. With all the quadraphonic titles Dutton Vocalion has brought back into modern light; itā€™s easy to become complacent about the level of riches weā€™re being afforded. Other companies have come and gone, but right now the musical legacy of various styles offered to us in quadraphonic by Dutton Vocalion is unmatched anywhere.

This is the kind of music that really gets my juices flowing; it canā€™t really be pegged into a certain style or even two for that matter. Black Byrd has an amalgamation of Jazz, Funk, Soul, Pop and Rock... I believe anyone into an eclectic mix of styles such as this will love this album as much as I do.

The liner notes details some of the musical road map for Donald Byrd; and what strikes me the most is hearing the music from my perspective of the players on this album. I mainly here a style that I heard on the Lou Donaldson album ā€œSassy Soul Strutā€ (Q8); which Donald having played with Lou on a few albums in the late 1950ā€™s seems to have had an influence on Mr. Byrd. Also playing prominently on this title are some members of the Crusaders; Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and David T. Walker. Anyone familiar with the Crusadersā€™ sound should hear a good dose of that here also. And finally, for me, itā€™s important to note one the greatest session guitarists around in Dean Parks (on a couple tracks.) His list of credits is massive, and any Steely Dan fans should know his name quite well.

This has some great guest musicians on it that Iā€™m familiar with, including:
Joe Sample ā€“ pianos
Dean Parks ā€“ electric guitar
Wilton Felder & Chuck Raineyā€“ bass guitar
Harvey Mason ā€“ drums
David T. Walker - Guitar

Hereā€™s the discogs page: discogs

Hereā€™s the current Dutton Vocalion page: Black Byrd SACD HYBRID
This release can also be played on a regular CD player in stereo.

Ratings:

Packaging: 10% (of 10%)

5%- Form & Function (Ease of access to its contents, appropriate size & secure storage.)
{Typical}

5%- Value (Extra contents considered- value added or excess trinkets.)
{Very Good/Excellent ā€“ Good info in liner notes by Charles Waring with Musician credits.}

Audio Fidelity: 30% (of 30%)

10%- Perceived Dynamic Range (Sounding loud / bothersome, clarity & quietness.)
{Very Good}

10%- Equalization (Balance across the frequency range appropriate for the music.)
{Very Good}

10% (of 10) Production qualities (Studio Production / live recording.) & Mastering.
{VERY GOOD/EXCELLENT ā€“ I donā€™t believe weā€™ll ever hear this any better!}

Surround Mix: 30% (of 30%)
10%- Degree of Discreteness between all channels (Level of ambience overall.)
{Very Good}

10%- Spatial Definition (How each note is projected to a defined point in the room.)
{Very Good}

10%- Instruments, Sound Effects and Vocals (evaluating instrument placement and levels)
{Very Good}

Content: 25% (of 30%)
15%- Does the music make you feel something (heartfelt, excitable, somber, self-reflective?)
{Very Satisfied}

10%- Overall quality of the music (How many songs resonate with you overall?)
{Satisfied ā€“ minus 5% for some vocal performances which I feel could have been stronger.}

Total 95%= Vote is rounded up to a 10.

WOW, Pupsta šŸ¶ ....... you ought to start writing for those snobby High End Audio RAGS [Stereophile, the Absolute Sound]......so inclusive was your 10šŸŒŸ review....and going ALL hoity toity analogue on us! I likewise voted a 10. Exceptional album and remaster! And I want more of:

Image result for all that jazz images
 
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This has been one of my favorite albums forever and ever and ever. As no one needs to be told, Byrd is an absolute master of phrasing, and his work is stellar throughout. Also, I am a rabid fan of this period of the Mizells' work; subsequent projects with Bobbi Humphrey and Johnny Hammond and Rance Allen proved their mastery of the form. To some fusion is a bad word; those people can kiss my shiny metal butt. "Black Byrd" is of course an outright classic; so are "Flight Time" and "Sky High" - hell every track here is wonderful, both standalone and en ensemble.

Now for the mix. Unlike some of the "ping pong" quad mixes of the time, this one, mixed by the legendary Dave Hassinger, has a much more ambient soundstage (if you can properly apply that word to an all-electric recording), with the intent of enveloping the listener rather than overwhelming them. It's the music that matters here, not the mix, and as such, it fills its role admirably, and IMO perfectly.

A solid 10/10 all the way around. Freaking fantastic that we have this available again, and I am so glad to add it to my collection!
 
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