Under the leadership of producer George Butler, Blue Note underwent a stylistic reorientation from 1971: away from hard bop and towards more commercial jazz fusion. One of the most exciting and successful albums of this new phase was delivered by trumpeter Donald Byrd in 1973 with "Black Byrd". The jazz-funk album, which was a success with critics and audiences alike and featured Joe Sample and Wilton Felder from the Crusaders and was produced by the Mizell Brothers, who were in vogue at the time and who also supervised recordings by the Jackson 5 and the 14-year-old Michael Jackson at Motown.

Tracklist:

A1. Flight Time
A2. Black Byrd
A3. Love's So Far Away
B1. Mr. Thomas
B2. Sky High
B3. Slop Jar Blues
B4. Where Are We Going?

Donald Byrd - trumpet, flugelhorn, electric trumpet, vocals / Allan Curtis Barnes - flute, oboe, saxophone / Roger Glenn - saxophone, flute / Fonce Mizell - trumpet, vocals / Larry Mizell - vocals / Kevin Toney - piano / Freddie Perren - piano, synthesizer, vocals / Dean Parks + David T. Walker + Barney Perry - guitar / Joe Sample - piano, electric piano / Chuck Rainey + Wilton Felder + Joe Hill - bass / Harvey Mason Sr. + Keith Killgo - drums / Bobbye Hall Porter + Perk Jacobs + Stephanie Spruill - percussion / King Errisson - congas and bongos