If Donald Byrd’s peak playing funky instrumental fusion came in the first years of the ’70s — think the deeper-than-deep grooves in the albums that span from 1970’s Electric Byrd to 1973’s Street Lady — his next phase towards more pop-friendly soul jazz was perfected not long after. With the cream of Mizells-produced/arranged personnel backing him up, Byrd’s Places and Spaces has no shortage of sophisticated-soul vibes informing its mellow-but-vibrant jazz-funk, with Byrd’s lively horn making for the perfect instrument to drive pieces like the euphoric vocal number “(Fallin’ Like) Dominoes” and the chime-strewn Love Unlimited Orchestra-outdoing opulence of “Wind Parade.”