Customer Reviews

Places & Spaces

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In my book, this album even beats (or atleast matches up with)the Blackbyrds ventures...
Mixing the disco tinged funk of the era with Byrd's masterful hornplaying... this album is totally tripped out... Its not one of those albums with one or two good tracks then a lot of fluff in the middle... the thing is kickin' straight through... Though "contemporary Jazz" (circa that era) its by no means "sell out" or "soft music" - - the stuff is hard hitting... with, of course, a very Jazzy edge... I guess its been almost 13 years since I first gotten the album, and it hasn't warn out... When I listen to it, I feel just as transed out and grooved up as when I first got it... and from that perspective... the thing is a masterpiece.

One of the most impressive jazz albums created in the 1970's. Donald Byrd is a fantastic trumpet player, and plays mostly improvised lines over the most beautiful, relaxed backbeats. From exotic guitars, pianos, and up-tempo keyboards. The album opens up with the nice swiftly-paced track "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)" which has a nice theme by trumpet and saxophone and interesting vocals. "Wind Parade" is a work of art, this song has influenced so many and has been the part of many samples. The beat, vocals, trumpet all in one track is amazing. "Fallin' Like Dominoes" is another nice song, more up-tempo again, and a very catchy track. "Places And Spaces" is over a brilliant guitar loop and some of the most colorful harmony I've heard in a long time. Donald Byrd's trumpet soloing is perfect for the song. "You And The Music" has a nice drum-loop at the beginning and then folds out into a classic string-laced song. This track has a great summertime feel to it, just classic. "Night Whistler" is a slower song, though not one of the album's better tracks, it has a nice African feel and whistling on it, which makes it a worthy song. However, the best song is the addicting melody of "Just My Imagination", a remake of a song by the Temptations. Though I feel the Temptations did a nice job with the song, Donald Byrd and company turned it into an exotic masterpiece. The variations, tune, additions, everything is great. The best track for last.

This album is for any fan of black-originated music. Whether you like soul, jazz, blues, rap, anything, you should love this. Apparently Tupac did. He sampled from "Wind Parade" on "Definition Of A Thug", from Poetic Justice. This album should be taken places and spaces. A classic.

INCREDIBLE recording from Donald Byrd. Probably his greatest recording. Byrd proved there is no barrier between Soul and Jazz. In my extensive collection of music this album is one of my personal favorites. Its up there with Whats Goin On and Songs In The Key Of Life. If you like this album, you should get The Blackbyrds album City Life (produced by Byrd) that came out around the same time.

All credit to Donald Byrd and the Mizell brothers. It was this album that introduced me to comtemporary jazz. Granted, I heard "Dominoes" in the Winter of '75 and fell for it (like many other people), I didn't purchase my copy until the Spring of '76. "Dominoes" is why I bought the album, I appreciate "Change", but "Places and Spaces", along with "Night Whistler", "You and Music" and Mr. Byrd's rendition of "Just my Imagination" just blew me away! Even now, 28 years later, I haven't lost my affection for the album. If you've never heard "The Byrd", may I suggest this collection? Five Stars!

Donald Byrd made some tight albums during the '70's("Street Lady", "Stepping Into Tomorrow") that merged jazz with funk and soul. He also had a hand in some of the best jazz/funk of the period (his work with the Blackbyrds and his NYC 125th Street Band of the early '80's) This is his best album during this period to me. Dr. Byrd gets laid back ("Places and Spaces") and funky ("Dominoes," "Change"). His horn soars on "You and Music," merging with the vocal for a musical experience that gives one goose bumps. When I first heard "You and Music" on the radio, (KUTE 102FM, LA) I knew I had to have this album. KUTE would play this cut, along with the title cut, "Change," "Dominoe," and "Wind Parade." This was one of my first jazz albums on which I built my collection and is also one of my favorites from an exciting period in jazz, the '70's. A CLASSIC.

It's pourin' down rain today, an it's windy as anything; a cold, gray Sunday afternoon, an' I can see storm clouds gatherin' overhead. There are times when I can't stand these kinda days 'cause they leave me wit' nothin' to do, but sit around on my @ss all day. But today I don't mind. 'Cause it gave me the perfect oppurtunity to break out ol' Donald Byrd's 'Places and Spaces' album an' lay back to some nice jazzy, soulful grooves. I don't know how to describe this album, 'cept to say that I LOVE IT! I like his 'Best of' album a lot, an' I prob'ly play that more than anything'a his, but this, THIS album is strictly for days like this one I'm endurin' right now. The way he plays the trumpet over these chill, relaxed backdrops an' the beautiful vocalists that're peppered throughout the songs are jus' fantastic.

In the the first cut 'Change (Makes You Want to Hustle)' Byrd is BLOWIN' 'at that trumpet, while that vocal chorus keeps things interesting; these mus'a been some fun studio sessions. The most classic track comes next in 'Wind Parade', one'a the smoothest, most relaxed grooves on the whole album; lovely vocal stylings, keyboards, an' Don's trumpet all comin' together to form one'a the most beautiful soundscapes EVER. This is the song thas' helpin' me through these rainy days. Then comes '(Fallin' Like) Dominoes', jus' listen to that bassline. This is without'a doubt the most funk-influenced of all the tracks; sound like sumpin' Earth, Wind & Fire coulda put together. The interplay between the vocals an' the trumpet playin' an' the melody variances is expertly-done. But my bar-none FAVORITE track is the title song 'Places and Spaces'; the harmony an' trumpet an' strings on here are beautiful. I could look up at the gray sky while the rain splashes down on my face, an' STILL be smilin' an' feelin' good so long as this inspired cut is playin'. All'a the rest'a great too (though not as rainy day-affiliated to me); you got 'You and the Music', a straight feel-good song that lets Donald do his work on the trumpet for almost two minutes 'fore the vocals come in; a breezy, summertime track that makes me wanna hit the beach an' be a bum. 'Night Whistler' is a MASTERPIECE'a dank an' dark moody music; laden wit' an electric guitar in the background tradin' line for line wit' Byrd's trumpet; this is for us nightime city dwellers by all means. The talent on the album culminates in the monumental remake of 'Just My Imagination'; Byrd an' co. took this simple Motown era pop song an' turned it into an amazing, exotic work of art; complete with wah-wah chicken scratch guitars, varyin' keyboard tempos an' buildin' to a soft an' subtle climax. Is' got all the soul'a the original, but is' an artistic an' brilliant take on the arrangement; utterly GENIUS, y'all, fa'real.

Alright, the rain's startin' to let up, so I'm'a go 'head an' put sumpin' else in, but I hope my musings on this album while I indulged myself in it will positively influence y'all who're feelin' me to go pick it up.

Many jazz aficionados would say in general that Donald Byrd "sold out" by exploring more of a commercial/contemporary music sound as opposed to staying with traditional jazz and exploring moreso in that genre. On this album, Donald Byrd, really took a back seat to superior producers Larry and Fonze Mizell. The key to songs like Dominoes and Places and Spaces is the catchy melody/harmony these guys came up with. Then top it off with a phenomenal breakdown as you transition from the melody. Yes DB, with his talent, could have done more traditional jazz. Yet Donald Byrd showed that you can explore new rhythms with the combination of acoustic and electronic instruments. Gotta have this in your collection. Keep swingin.

This is it folks, the finest music that you could possibly delight your ears with. Places and Spaces defies categorisation because although Byrd himself is a Jazz trumpeter, under the careful and tight production of the Mizzell brothers he becomes so much more. This album fuses Jazz, Soul and even funk - yet the sum of it's parts do not do the final outcome any justice, because this is more than just another "funky" fusion album, Places and Spaces has depth and soul that I have rarely heard on any other albums and added to that there is not a weak track on the entire CD. The title track is probably the best song, it is laid back and smooth like much of the Mizzell brother's work. If you have heard Harlem River Drive by Bobbi Humphrey then you will know what it is all about: laid-back beats with a sublime floating lead-melody with sparse yet soulfull vocals. Falling like Dominoes is another highlight on this album, it is the most up-beat song, and it combines uplifting vocals with a dirty groove that makes you want to get up and dance. My words can not do this album justice, you really need to listen to it for yourself, but suffice it to say that I feel this is the greatest album of all time, and seeing as how it's so diverse there is probably a song on there for everybody whether you like Jazz, Soul, Funk, Disco, Fusion, 80s Groove or even hip-hop(a lot of well-known rap artists have sampled this album to good effect ie. Pete Rock). Long live the Byrd man - he makes me wanna hustle.

What amazes me about music as I research and study it as I do, is the fact that I can still be surprised and how fluid an album can be 20 plus years after it's inital release. Being of the hip-hop/turntablism era, with all the sampling we do, all that I can say is that this album is responsible for a lot of what we know today. From Black Moon/Smif-N-Wessun, to Pete Rock, to Tupac, this album has been generously sampled (like a LOT of the Blue Note catalog) for good reason. Driving bass accompanying lush grooves make this a great listen and a must have for any music lover. True instrumentalism is of the order here. Flutes, violins, and rolling keybords abound and for 1976 this was a forward thinking album. It's a shame that the stubborn dinosaurs that traditional jazz fans can be turned their nose up at and turned their backs on Donald Byrd, accusing him of 'selling out', yet this is no different from what Miles Davis was trying to do with his fusion; and what Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis have done throughout most of their careers. What a tragedy for this is some of the best jazz fusion to be had from anyone, anywhere.

Five Huge Stars! Donald Byrd Is AMAZING!! Throughout his wide-ranging career, he has kept us guessing as he has explored the jazz music world HIS WAY! From the early straight ahead quintets, to the tone row experiments of "Free Form", to the huge orchestral palette of "Electric Byrd", to the gospel-inflected work of "Cristo Redentor" from "Thank You for FUML", to "(High) Stepping into Tomorrow" with the amazing song "Rock and Roll Again", he has covered the map with musical wonderfulness. Now, HERE, he wants us to get up and dance, tap our feet, and nod our heads, taking us on an imaginary trip to a wonderful place.

This CD has airplanes on the cover and that defines the expansiveness of the music. Mr Byrd uses a huge, string-laden orchestra, larger than "Electric Byrd", it seems. And the title track "Spaces and Places" is an AMAZING piece of music. From the insistent guitar vamp, to the killer orchestral arrangement, to a cameo by the Black Byrds, it provides a launching pad for Byrd's soaring, beautiful, and spare statements. This is fabulous music that one can enjoy in a variety of situations. It describes the immensity of the vistas of the western USA. And it takes it's time building over and over, swirling and turning beautifully as it reaches a climax and begins again. FANTASTIC! Disco? No, but it was recorded early enough that it may well have influenced disco and Gary Bartz' amazing disco "Giant Steps" performance (If you haven't heard Bartz' disco "Giant Steps" from the "Love Affair" CD, you need to hear it).

Funk rises like steam on "(Fallin' Like) Dominoes", "Change (Makes You Want to Hustle), and "You and The Music" with a sizzling vocal by Kay Haith that will slow your breathing in vocal duet with Donald Byrd himself. Other 'Pieces D'Resistence' are a shimmering "Wind Parade" with Kay's vocal coloring the proceedings. And the climax is a fantastic "Just My Imagination" with the Black Byrds. Guys, this is a great, dance-able, listen-able beauty of a CD. One of my favorite CD's for driving, flying, making out, or anything. Donald, Thank you for FUML (Funking Up My Life). Five Huge Stars!