Stepping into Tomorrow

by Donald Byrd

Overview

Beginning with a crack of thunder, like it was made to trail Gary Bartz's "Mother Nature" (actually recorded at a slightly later date), Stepping into Tomorrow contains almost all of the Mizell trademarks within its title track's first 30 seconds: a soft and easy (yet still funky) electric-bass-and-drums foundation, silken rhythm guitar, organ and piano gently bouncing off one another, light synthesizer shading, and coed group vocals to ensure true liftoff. It's only one in a line of many magnetic '70s sessions led by Fonce and Larry Mizell, and it differs from their two previous Donald Byrd dates -- the polarizing and groundbreaking Black Byrd and the deceptively excellent Street Lady -- by not featuring any of Roger Glenn's flute, and by focusing on heavily melodic and laid-back arrangements. Even the speedy "You Are the World," by some distance the most energetic song, seems more suited for relaxing in a hammock than shooting down a freeway. Many of the musicians present on the previous Byrd-Mizell meetings are here, including drummer Harvey Mason, bassist Chuck Rainey, keyboardist Jerry Peters, and guitarist David T. Walker. As ever, those who pined for the approach of Byrd's '60s dates would tune out a sublime set of material, but maybe some of those who sniffed at the straightforward nature of some of the rhythms and riffing were won over by the supreme layering of the many components (the way in which "Think Twice" lurches forward, peels back, and gathers steam is nothing short of heavenly), not to mention some deeply evocative playing from Byrd himself. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	07/18/2025
Label:	Blue Note Records
UPC:	0602465816822

Tracks

1. Stepping Into Tomorrow
2. Design A Nation
3. We're Together
4. Think Twice
5. Makin' It
6. Rock And Roll Again
7. You Are The World
8. I Love The Girl

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Donald Byrd   Primary Artist,Vocals,Soloist,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Guest Artist,Drums,Jaw Harp,Harmonica,Bata Drums
Gary Bartz   Guest Artist,Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
Jerry Peters   Organ,Piano
Mayuto Correa   Congas
John Rowin   Guitar
Lorraine Kennar   Vocals (Background)
Fred Perrin   Vocals (Background)
Kay Haith   Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Roger Sainte   Percussion
Rhonghea Southern   Guitar
Stephanie Spruill   Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Chuck Rainey   Bass (Electric)
James Carter   Whistle (Human)
Larry Mizell   Conductor,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,ARP Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Fonce Mizell   Trumpet,Clarinet,Vocals (Background)
Margie Evans   Vocals (Background)
Freddie Perren   Vocals (Background)
David T. Walker   Guitar

Technical Credits

Sigidi   Copyist,Arranger
Sigidi Abdullah   Composer
Fred Perrin   Vocal Arrangement
Doug Metzler   Photography
William Jordan   Production Coordination
Bradley Ridgell   Composer
Larry Mizell   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Vocal Arrangement
Donald Byrd   Composer
Fonce Mizell   Arranger,Producer,Vocal Arrangement
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Arranger,Composer
David Hassinger   Engineer,Remixing
Chuck Davis   Consultant,Technical Director
Freddie Perren   Vocal Arrangement
John Mills   Engineer
George "Wild Child" Butler   Executive Producer
Val Garay   Engineer,Remixing
Jim Nipar   Assistant
Michael Cuscuna   Reissue Producer
Mbaji   Composer
Dr. George Butler   Executive Producer
Patrick Roques   Reissue Design