Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop musicians who successfully explored funk and soul while remaining a jazz artist. As a bandleader, Byrd was an influence on the early career of
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
.
Biography
Early life and career
Byrd was born in 1932 in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
minister who greatly valued education and oversaw his son's schooling. His mother, Cornelia Taylor, introduced Byrd to jazz music and it was her brother who gave Byrd his first trumpet. He attended
Cass Technical High School
Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a public high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States.
. He performed with Lionel Hampton before finishing high school. During this period, his first professional recording session was in 1949 at
Fortune Records
Fortune Records was an American family operated, independent record label located in Detroit, Michigan from 1946 to 1995. The label owners were Jack and Devora Brown, their son Sheldon Brown recorded for the label. Original releases tapered off a ...
in Detroit with the Robert Barnes Sextette for the single "Black Eyed Peas" / "Bobbin’ At Barbee’s." After playing in a military band during a term in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
.
Byrd's first regular group was a quintet that he co-led from 1958 to 1961 with baritone saxophonist
Pepper Adams
Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a ...
. The ensemble’s hard-driving performances are captured live on '' At the Half Note Cafe''. Byrd's 1961 LP '' Royal Flush'' was Hancock’s Blue Note debut. Hancock has credited Byrd as a key influence in his early career, recounting that Byrd took the young pianist "under his wing" when he was a struggling musician newly arrived in New York, even letting him sleep on a hide-a-bed in his Bronx apartment for several years.
He was the first person to let me be a permanent member of an internationally known band. He has always nurtured and encouraged young musicians. He's a born educator, it seems to be in his blood, and he really tried to encourage the development of creativity.
Hancock also recalled that Byrd helped him in many other ways: he encouraged Hancock to make his debut album for Blue Note, connected him with Mongo Santamaria, who turned Hancock's tune " Watermelon Man" into a chart-topping hit, and that Byrd also later urged him to accept
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
' offer to join his quintet.
Hancock also credits Byrd with giving him one of the most important pieces of advice of his career – not to give away his publishing rights. When Blue Note offered Hancock the chance to record his first solo LP, label executives tried to convince him to relinquish his publishing in exchange for being able to record the album, but he stuck to Byrd's advice and refused, so the meeting came to an impasse. At this point, he stood up to leave and when it became clear that he was about to walk out, the executives relented and allowed him to retain his publishing. Thanks to Santamaria's subsequent hit cover version of "Watermelon Man", Hancock was soon receiving substantial royalties, and he used his first royalty check of $6,000 to buy his first car, a 1963
Shelby Cobra
The AC Cobra, sold in the United States as the Shelby Cobra and AC Shelby Cobra, is a sports car manufactured by British company AC Cars, with a Ford V8 engine. It was produced intermittently in both the United Kingdom and later the Unite ...
(also recommended by Byrd) which Hancock still owns, and which is now the oldest production Cobra still in its original owner's hands.
In June 1964, Byrd played with Eric Dolphy in Paris only two weeks before Dolphy died from insulin shock.
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
. He teamed up with the Mizell Brothers (producer-writers Larry and Fonce) for ''
Black Byrd
''Black Byrd'' is a 1973 album by Donald Byrd and the first of his Blue Note albums to be produced by Larry Mizell, assisted by his brother, former Motown producer Fonce. In the jazz funk idiom, it is among Blue Note Records' best selling album ...
'' (1973) which was, for many years, Blue Note's best-selling album. The title track climbed to No. 19 on ''Billboard''′s R&B chart and reached the Hot 100 pop chart, peaking at No. 88. The Mizell brothers' follow-up albums for Byrd, '' Street Lady'', '' Places and Spaces'' and '' Stepping into Tomorrow'', were also big sellers, and have subsequently provided a rich source of samples for acid jazz artists such as Us3. Most of the material for the albums was written by Larry Mizell.
In 1973, he helped to establish and co-produce the Blackbyrds, a fusion group consisting of then-student musicians from Howard University, where Byrd taught in the music department and earned his J.D. in 1976. They scored several major hits including "Happy Music" (No. 3 R&B, No. 19 pop), "Walking in Rhythm" (No. 4 R&B, No. 6 pop) and "Rock Creek Park".
During his tenure at
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds fro ...
during the 1980s, he formed a group which included students from the college called the "125th St NYC Band". They recorded three albums; '' Love Byrd'' and '' Words, Sounds, Colors and Shapes'' which featured Isaac Hayes. " Love Has Come Around" on ''Love Byrd'' became a disco hit, reaching number No. 4 on Billboard's U.S. Dance Club Songs and in the UK and reached No. 41 on the charts.
Beginning in the 1960s, Byrd (who eventually gained his PhD in music education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1982) taught at a variety of postsecondary institutions, including
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
,
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds fro ...
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
as of September 27, 2008. Accessed September 15, 2017. "Donald Byrd – One of the masters of post-bop trumpet and a noted educator, Byrd lives in Teaneck." He died on February 4, 2013, in Dover, Delaware, at age 80.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
* 1955: ''
Byrd Jazz
''Byrd Jazz'' is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in Detroit in 1955 and originally released on Tom Wilson's Transition label.
Byrd's Eye View
''Byrd's Eye View'' is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1955 and originally released on Tom Wilson's Transition label.
'' (Transition, 1956)
* 1955: ''
Byrd's Word
''Byrd's Word'' is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1955 and released on the Savoy label.Savoy, 1956)
* 1956: '' 2 Trumpets'' with
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, doub ...
The Young Bloods
''The Young Bloods'' is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Phil Woods recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label.
Regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
, 1957)
* 1957: ''
Jazz Lab
''Jazz Lab'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Gigi Gryce, released in 1957 by Columbia.Jubilee, 1958)
* 1959: '' Off to the Races'' ( Blue Note, 1959)
* 1959: ''
Byrd in Hand
''Byrd in Hand'' is an album by Donald Byrd. Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder, it was recorded in May 1959 and was released in 1959 as catalogue BLP 4019 (mono) and BST 84019 (stereo). It was remastered in 2002 and released on CD as Blue Note 42305 ...
Byrd in Flight
''Byrd in Flight'' is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4048 and BST 84048 featuring Byrd with Jackie McLean or Hank Mobley, Duke Pearson, Doug Watkins or Reggie Workman, and Lex ...
A New Perspective
''A New Perspective'' is a 1964 studio album by jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd. It was released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4124 and BST 84124.
In 2017, it was ranked at number 194 on ''Pitchfork''s list of the "200 Best Albums of the 1960s". The ...
Mustang
The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, the ...
Electric Byrd
''Electric Byrd'' is a jazz fusion album by Donald Byrd released by the Blue Note label in 1970.Huey, S. Allmusic Review: ''Electric Byrd''accessed 07 June 2010
Reception
The Allmusic review by Steve Huey awarded the album 4 stars and stated, ...
Black Byrd
''Black Byrd'' is a 1973 album by Donald Byrd and the first of his Blue Note albums to be produced by Larry Mizell, assisted by his brother, former Motown producer Fonce. In the jazz funk idiom, it is among Blue Note Records' best selling album ...
A City Called Heaven
''A City Called Heaven'' is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring performances recorded in 1991 and released on the Landmark label.
2 Guitars
''2 Guitars'' is an album by guitarists Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Raney recorded in 1957 and released on the Prestige label.Paul Chambers
* '' Whims of Chambers'' (Blue Note, 1957) – recorded in 1956
* '' Paul Chambers Quintet'' (Blue Note, 1958) – recorded in 1957
With Sonny Clark
* '' Sonny's Crib'' (Blue Note, 1958) – recorded in 1957
* ''
My Conception
''My Conception'' is an album by jazz pianist Sonny Clark, recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Clark with Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey. It was originally released in 1979 in Japan, as GXF 3056, featuring ...
'' (Blue Note, 1979) – recorded in 1957-59
With Kenny Clarke
* ''
Bohemia After Dark
''Bohemia After Dark'' is an album by jazz drummer Kenny Clarke, featuring the earliest recordings with Cannonball Adderley and Nat Adderley. It was released by Savoy Records in September 1955.
Red Garland
William McKinley "Red" Garland Jr. (May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984) was an American modern jazz pianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s with Miles Davis, Garland helped popularize the block chord style of playing in j ...
Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet
''Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Gigi Gryce, recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label.
Reception
AllMusic awarded the album 4½ stars, stating: "This is exciting and still fresh-sounding bebop."Ya ...
'' (Riverside, 1957)
With
Guru
Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...
The Turnaround!
''The Turnaround!'' is an album by jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on March 7, 1963 and on February 4, 1965. It was released in 1965 by Blue Note Records. It features performances by Mobley with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Herbie ...
Duke Pearson
Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. ''Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record pro ...
Silver's Blue
''Silver's Blue'' is a studio album by American jazz pianist Horace Silver recorded for the Epic label in 1956 featuring performances by Silver with Joe Gordon, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins, and Kenny Clarke and another session with Donald Byrd and ...
George Wallington
George Wallington (October 27, 1924 – February 15, 1993) was an American jazz pianist and composer.
Early life
Wallington was born Giacinto Figlia (some sources give "Giorgio") in Sicily, and then moved to the United States (New York) with ...
* 1955: ''George Wallington Quintet at The Bohemia'' (Progressive, 1956) – live
* 1956: ''Jazz for the Carriage Trade'' (Prestige, 1956)
* 1957: ''The New York Scene'' (Prestige, 1957)
* 1957: ''Jazz at Hotchkiss'' (Savoy, 1957)
With others
*
Pepper Adams
Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a ...
Teo Macero
Attilio Joseph "Teo" Macero (October 30, 1925 – February 19, 2008) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer. He was a producer at Columbia Records for twenty years. Macero produced Miles Davis' ''Bitches Brew'', and ...
Chris Connor
Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer.
Biography
Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Shir ...
, ''Ballads of the Sad Cafe'' (Atlantic, 1959)
*
Walter Davis Jr.
Walter Davis Jr. (September 2, 1932 – June 2, 1990) was an American bebop and hard bop pianist.
Davis once left the music world to be a tailor, but returned. A soloist, bandleader, and accompanist, he amassed a body of work while never be ...
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, doub ...
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...
, ''
My Point of View
''My Point of View'' is the second album by pianist Herbie Hancock. It was released in 1963 on Blue Note Records as BLP 4126 and BST 84126. Musicians featured are trumpeter Donald Byrd, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley ...
Solomon Ilori
Solomon Gbadegesin Ilori (born c. 1934) is a Nigerian drummer and percussionist who moved to New York City in 1958 and collaborated with jazz artists such as Art Blakey and Harry Belafonte before recording his debut album for Blue Note Records in ...
Ahmad Jamal
Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones, July 2, 1930) is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator. For six decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz.
Biography Early life
Jamal was born Fr ...
The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall
''The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall'' is an album by Thelonious Monk, released in 1959. The concert included Hall Overton’s arrangements on Monk’s tunes (including a transcription of Monk's piano solo on "Little Rootie Tootie").
The ...
Sam Rivers Sam Rivers may refer to:
* Sam Rivers (jazz musician)
Samuel Carthorne Rivers (September 25, 1923 – December 26, 2011) was an American jazz musician and composer. Though most famously a tenor saxophonist, he also performed on soprano saxophone ...
Taylor's Wailers
''Taylor's Wailers'' is the debut album by drummer Art Taylor, released in 1957 on Prestige. It features tracks recorded mainly on February 25, 1957 plus a track from a different session featuring John Coltrane on saxophone.
Track listing
#" ...
Pairing Off
''Pairing Off'' is an album by saxophonist Phil Woods' Septet recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label.
'' (Prestige, 1956)
References
External links
*
*
* Donald Byrd discography at jazzdisco.org Donald Byrd at newyorkjazzworkshop.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Byrd, Donald
1932 births2013 deathsAfrican-American academicsAfrican-American jazz musiciansAmerican funk musiciansAmerican jazz trumpeters
American male trumpeters
Bessie Award winners
Blue Note Records artists
Cass Technical High School alumni
Columbia Records artists
Teachers College, Columbia University alumni
Columbia University alumni
Crossover jazz trumpeters
Elektra Records artists
Hard bop trumpeters
Jazz-funk trumpeters
Jazz fusion trumpeters
The Jazz Messengers members
Manhattan School of Music alumni
Musicians from Detroit
People from Teaneck, New Jersey
Post-bop trumpeters
Prestige Records artists
Savoy Records artists
Verve Records artists
Wayne State University alumni
United States Air Force airmen
Jazz musicians from Michigan
American male jazz musicians
The Blackbyrds members