From the Liner Notes: “Low Life is a minor theme, based on the blues pattern and evoking Sonny Rollins — Especially to those of us for who any melody that starts with two sixteenth notes, off on their own automatically reminds of us Sonny.”

Anything Donald Byrd touches is most likely to be amazing and this is no exception. Taken from the Fiery “Fuego” This album would be the late partnership of Byrd and McLean as the two would take off in different directions naturally. The whole band sounds great here and the writing is second to none.

Donald Byrd, trumpet; Jackie McLean, alto sax; Duke Pearson, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; Lex Humphries, drums. Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 4, 1959

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

Jake