The Transition Sessions

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Compilation collecting 3 separate sessions recorded by Donald Byrd and Doug Watkins with various small group, for the Transition label. The 1955 recordings (first issued under the title Byrd's Eye View) were made shortly after Byrd replaced Kenny Dorham in the Jazz Messenger, all of whom (Horace Silver, Art Blakey, and Hank Mobley, along with Byrd and Watkins) are present, with the addition of local trumpeter Joe Gordon as a guest on two track. The half-dozen songs mix an improvised blues ("Doug's Blues"), a favorite from the swing era ("Crazy Rhythm"), a ballad feature for Byrd and Mobley ("Everything Happens to Me"), plus a pair of potent hard bop pieces contributed by the tenor saxophonist. The second session, recorded at engineer Stephen Fassett's Beacon Hill home, features two local musicians (pianist Ray Santisis and drummer Jimmy Zitano) joining Byrd and Watkins; it was first released as Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill. This set is heavily ballad-oriented, with the exception of the surprising choice of Joe Sullivan's "Little Rock Getaway." Byrd sits out both "People Will Say We're in Love" and "What's New." The final of the three sessions in this two-CD set marks the bassist's debut release, Watkins at Large, and it proves to be the most interesting. Hank Mobley, Kenny Burrell, Duke Jordan, and Art Taylor are on hand, with the music including a piece written for a 1953 movie soundtrack (Dmitri Tomkin's "Return to Paradise"), Thad Jones' pulsating "More of the Same," as well as originals contributed by both Burrell and Jordan. These three enjoyable but often overlooked studio dates from the early days of hard bop make this reissue well worth listening to. Personnel Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley (tracks: 1-1, 1-4 to 1-6, 2-1 to 2-5) Trumpet – Donald Byrd (tracks: 1-1 to 2-5), Joe Gordon (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-6) Piano – Duke Jordan (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5), Horace Silver (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6), Ray Santisi (tracks: 1-7 to 1-10, 2-6, 2-7) Guitar – Kenny Burrell (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5) Bass – Doug Watkins Drums – Art Blakey (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6), Art Taylor (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5), Jimmy Zitano* (tracks: 1-7 to 1-10, 2-6, 2-7) Engineer – Arnie Ginsburg (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6), Bob Guy (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5), Steve Fassett (tracks: 1-7 to 1-10, 2-6, 2-7) Mastered By – Ron McMaster Producer – Tom Wilson Reissue Producer, Liner Notes – Michael Cuscuna Photography By – Francis Wolff Cover – Patrick Roques Tracks 1-1 to 1-6: Recorded at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass on December 2, 1955. Originally issued as "Byrd's Eye View" (Transition TRLP 4) in 1956 except 'Crazy Rhythm' originally issued on "Jazz In Transition" (Transition TRLP 30) in 1956. Tracks 1-7 to 1-10, 2-6, 2-7: Recorded at Steve Fassett's Home on Beacon Hill in Boston on May 7, 1956. Originally issued as "Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill" (Transition TRLP 17) in 1956. Tracks 2-1 to 2-5: Recorded on December 8, 1956. Originally issued as "Watkins At Large" (Transition TRLP 20) in 1956. All recordings are monaural. Track listing Disc 1 1-1 Doug's Blues (Traditional) 12:06 1-2 El Sino (Charles Majeed Greenlea) 10:02 1-3 Crazy Rhythm (Caesar, Meyer, Kahn) 7:34 1-4 Everything Happens To Me Composed By – M. Denni, T. Adair) 5:45 1-5 Hank's Other Tune (aka The Late Show) (Hank Mobley) 7:29 1-6 Hank's Tune (Hank Mobley) 7:42 1-7 Little Rock Getaway (Joe Sullivan) 7:02 1-8 Polka Dots And Moonbeams (J. Burke-J. Van Heusen) 7:19 1-9 If I Love Again (B. Oakland, J. Murray) 4:39 1-10 Stella By Starlight (N. Washington, V. Young) 3:40 Disc 2 2-1 Return To Paradise (Dimitri Tiomkin) 12:48 2-2 Phinupi (Kenny Burrell) 9:21 2-3 Phil T. McNasty's Blues (Traditional) 4:53 2-4 More Of The Same (Thad Jones) 10:02 2-5 Panonica (Duke Jordan) 3:48 2-6 People Will Say We're In Love (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 3:37 .

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