After studying with trumpet legend Dr. Donald Byrd, Larry and Fonce Mizell were hired by Blue Note to produce Byrd's own music. They layered his rich improvisations over funk and R&B arrangements for his album Black Byrd, creating a whole new sound. They would go on to produce artists like Bobbi Humphrey and Gary Bartz before creating the groups A Taste of Honey and L.T.D.