Blackjack is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring performances by Byrd with Sonny Red, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Walter Booker, and Billy Higgins recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4259.Donald Byrd discography accessed September 2, 2010 The CD reissue included one bonus track recorded in 1963. The title track was sampled by Gang Starr & Dream Warriors in their 1991 collaboration "I've Lost My Ignorance".
Reception The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 3 stars and stated "One can sense that Byrd wanted to break through the boundaries and rules of hard bop but had not yet decided on his future directions".Yanow, S. [ Allmusic Review] accessed September 2, 2010
Track listing All compositions by Donald Byrd except as indicated
"Blackjack" - 6:16 "West of Pecos" (Sonny Red) - 5:29 "Loki" (Red) - 5:53 "Eldorado" (Mitch Farber) - 8:00 "Beale Street" (Red) - 5:25 "Pentatonic" - 4:59 "All Members" (Heath) - 4:34 Bonus track on CD reissue
Recorded on May 27, 1963 (track 7) & January 9, 1967 (tracks 1–6).
Personnel Tracks 1–6 Donald Byrd - trumpet Sonny Red - alto saxophone Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone Cedar Walton - piano Walter Booker - bass Billy Higgins - drums
Track 7 Donald Byrd - trumpet Sonny Red - alto saxophone Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone Herbie Hancock - piano Eddie Khan - bass Albert Heath - drums
References