Manhattan Plaza (album)

This was Ford's first album for Muse Records and his second recording as leader.[1] The band was a principally a quintet: Ford on tenor sax, trumpeter Oliver Beener, pianist Jaki Byard, bassist David Friesen, and drummer Dannie Richmond. Byard had been one of Ford's teachers at the New England Conservatory of Music.[3] Manhattan Plaza was the building that Ford and other musicians lived in.[4]

The album was recorded at the Van Gelder Recording Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on August 1, 1978.[5] It was produced by Richard Seidel.[5] Of the seven tracks, three were composed by Ford, three by Byard, and one was a standard ("If You Could See Me Now").[1] Byard's "Olean Visit" was first recorded in 1967, whereas this was the first recording of "Fadism".[5] Beener does not play on "Afternoon in New York".[5] "Ceal's Place" is a blues.[5] The AllMusic reviewer described the playing as "advanced hard bop".[1] "Diane's Melody" is played as a Ford–Byard duet.[1] The album was released by Muse in 1979.[6][7][8]

1. "Fadism" (Jaki Byard) – 7:19
2. "Afternoon in New York" (Ricky Ford) – 4:40
3. "Diane's Melody" (Byard) – 3:30
4. "Ceal's Place" (Ford) – 4:12
5. "On the Plaza" (Ford) – 6:15
6. "If You Could See Me Now" (Tadd Dameron) – 4:52
7. "Olean Visit" (Byard) – 6:16

• Ricky Ford – tenor sax
• Oliver Beener – trumpet
• Jaki Byard – piano
• David Friesen – bass
• Dannie Richmond – drums