Donald Byrd, Pepper Adams and Herbie Hancock had a working quintet throughout the year 1961. While Byrd and Adams were already well-known names in the jazz world, Hancock was just starting his long and fruitful career and would join the Miles Davis Quintet in 1963. This release presents two of the albums by the Byrd-Adams-Hancock group, Royal Flush (Blue Note BLP84007) and Out of This World (Warwick W2041ST), as well as another album from the same period featuring Byrd and Adams, The Cat Walk (Blue Note BST 84075). An extended live reading of “Hush,” the first tune of Royal Flush, featuring all Byrd, Adams and Hancock, has been added as a further bonus.

DONALD BYRD, trumpetPEPPER ADAMS, baritone saxHERBIE HANCOCK, pianoOn all tracks, plus:CD1, 1-6: Royal FlushBUTCH WARREN, bass; BILLY HIGGINS, drums.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, September 21, 1961.CD1, 7-10 & CD2, 1-3: Out of This WorldTEDDY CHARLES, vibes on CD1, track 9 only;LAYMON JACKSON, bass; JIMMY COBB, drums.New York, 1961.*BONUS ALBUM (CD2, 4-9): The Cat WalkDONALD BYRD, trumpet; PEPPER ADAMS, baritone sax;DUKE PEARSON, piano; LAYMON JACKSON, bass;PHILLY JOE JONES, drums.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, May 2, 1961.**BONUS TRACK (CD2, 10):DONALD BYRD, trumpet; PEPPER ADAMS, baritone sax;HERBIE HANCOCK, piano; CLEVELAND EATON, bass;TEDDY ROBINSON, drums.Live at Jorgie’s Jazz Club, St. Louis, Missouri, June 24, 1961.

• - 1 -

  • 1. Hush
  • 2. I'm a Fool To Want You
  • 3. Jorgie's
  • 4. Shangri-La
  • 5. 6 M's
  • 6. Requiem
  • 7. Out of This World
  • 8. Curro's
  • 9. It's a Beautiful Evening
  • 10. Mr. Lucky Theme

• - 2 -

  • 1. Bird House
  • 2. Day Dream
  • 3. I'm an Old Cowhand
  • 4. Say You're Mine
  • 5. Duke's Mixture
  • 6. Each Time I Think of You
  • 7. The Cat Walk
  • 8. Cute
  • 9. Hello Bright Sunflower
  • 10. Hush [Live]