Donald Byrd and 125th Street, N.Y.C.

This album cover for “Donald Byrd and 125th Street, N.Y.C.” was an illustration by African American artist Ernie Barnes, who is known for his dynamic, emotive style and cultural storytelling that features elongated figures and connections to music. This vinyl album cover is designed simply by showcasing the title of the album above an illustration that is similar to the original painting of “The Sugar Shack” by the same artist, Ernie Barnes in the 1970’s, Barnes includes in the illustration both a live performance on stage behind a crowd of dancing elongated figures below a banners that read the name of Donald Byrd himself and references to song titles. This gives a visual representation and symbolizes the mix of genres like jazz, funk, and soul to capture the energy of Harlem's 125th Street and the music of Donald Byrd.