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Don Byas

2013-07-14

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'''Carlos Wesley "Don" Byas''' (October 21, 1912 – August 24, 1972) was an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States American] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz jazz] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenor_saxophonist tenor saxophonist], most associated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebop Bebop]. He played with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Basie Count Basie], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington Duke Ellington], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Blakey Art Blakey], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie], among others, and also led his own band. He lived in Europe for the last 26 years of his life.

==Biography[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Byas&action=edit&section=1 edit]]==

===Oklahoma and Los Angeles[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Byas&action=edit&section=2 edit]]===

Don Byas was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskogee,_Oklahoma Muskogee, Oklahoma]. Both of Byas' parents were musicians. His mother played the piano, and his father, the clarinet. Byas started his training in classical music, learning to play violin, clarinet and alto saxophone, which he played until the end of the 1920s. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Carter Benny Carter], who played many instruments, was his idol at this time. He started playing in local orchestras at the age of 17, with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennie_Moten Bennie Moten], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrence_Holder Terrence Holder] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Page Walter Page]. He founded and led his own college band, "Don Carlos and His Collegiate Ramblers", during 1931-32, at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_University Langston College], Oklahoma.

Byas switched to the tenor saxophone after he moved to the West Coast and played with several Los Angeles bands. In 1933, he took part in a West coast tour of Bert Johnson’s Sharps and Flats. He worked in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Hampton Lionel Hampton]’s band at the Paradise Club in 1935 along with the reed player and arranger [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Barefield Eddie Barefield] and trombonist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyree_Glenn Tyree Glenn]. He also played with Eddie Barefield, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Clayton Buck Clayton], [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lorenzo_Flennoy&action=edit&redlink=1 Lorenzo Flennoy] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charlie_Echols&action=edit&redlink=1 Charlie Echols].

===New York City[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Byas&action=edit&section=3 edit]]===

In 1937, Byas moved to New York to work with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddie_Mallory&action=edit&redlink=1 Eddie Mallory] band, accompanying Mallory’s wife, the singer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Waters Ethel Waters], on tour, and at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Club Cotton Club]. He had a brief stint with arranger [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Redman Don Redman]'s band in 1938 and later in 1939-1940. He recorded his first solo record in May 1939: "Is This to Be My Souvenir" with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timme_Rosenkrantz Timme Rosenkrantz] and his Barrelhouse Barons for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Victor Victor]. He played with the bands of such leaders as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Millinder Lucky Millinder], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kirk_(musician) Andy Kirk], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Hayes Edgar Hayes] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Carter Benny Carter]. He spent about a year in Andy Kirk’s band, recording with him between March 1939 and January 1940, including a short solo on "You Set Me on Fire". In September 1940, he had an eight bar solo on "Practice Makes Perfect", recorded by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Holiday Billie Holiday]. He participated in sessions with the pianist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Johnson Pete Johnson], trumpeter [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Lips_Page Hot Lips Page], and singer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Joe_Turner Big Joe Turner]. In 1941 at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minton%27s_Playhouse Minton's Playhouse] he played with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Christian Charlie Christian], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelonious_Monk Thelonious Monk] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Clarke Kenny Clarke] in after hours sessions.

In early 1941, after a short stay with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bascomb Paul Bascomb], he had his big break when [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Basie Count Basie] chose him to succeed the post of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Young Lester Young] in his big band.

*"Harvard Blues", [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Rushing Jimmy Rushing]’s vocal version of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frazier George Frazier]’s tune, recorded November 17

*July 24, 1942, small group session with Buck Clayton, Count Basie, and his rhythm section ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Green Freddie Green], Walter Page, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Jones Jo Jones]) recording "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Garden_Blues Royal Garden Blues]" and "Sugar Blues"

*August 1942 went to Hollywood with Basie's band to record for the film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reveille_with_Beverly Reveille with Beverly]''

*January 1943, another film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_Door_Canteen Stage Door Canteen]''

*November 1943, last recording with Basie

*Started to play in small bands in New York clubs

*He played with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Hawkins Coleman Hawkins] at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yacht_Club Yacht Club] (1944)

*Associated with beboppers such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Gillespie Dizzy Gillespie], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker Charlie Parker], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallington George Wallington], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pettiford Oscar Pettiford] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Roach Max Roach] at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onyx_Club_(New_York_City) Onyx Club] from early 1944

*Recorded with the above under Coleman Hawkins six sides, which are said to be the first bebop recordings: "Woody 'n You", February 16 and 22, 1944.

*May 1944, shared tenor duties with Hawkins in the latter's "Sax Ensemble"

*May 1944 leader of his own band, performances at the "Three Deuces"

*Recorded for small labels (Savoy, Jamboree, National, Disc, Arista, Super, American, Hub, Gotham)

*Had a hit with "Laura" by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Raksin David Raksin], the title tune of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Preminger Otto Preminger]'s [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_(1944_film) movie] of the same name (1944)

Despite his bebop associations, Byas always remained deeply rooted in the sounds of swing. He started out by emulating Coleman Hawkins, but Byas always cited [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Tatum Art Tatum] as his greater influence: "I haven't got any style, I just blow like Art".

*January 4, 1945 - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Hart Clyde Hart], singer "Rubberlegs" Williams, Gillespie, Parker, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trummy_Young Trummy Young]

*January 9, 1945: Gillespie, Byas and Young record "Be Bop", "Salt Peanuts", and "Good Bait" for Manor

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Town_Hall Town Hall] concert, duet with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slam_Stewart Slam Stewart] in 1945

*Savoy sessions in 1945-46

*January 11, 1946, ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esquire_magazine Esquire magazine]'', 2nd place in tenor sax

*February 22, recorded with Gillespie, "52nd Street Theme", "Night in Tunisia"

===Paris[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Byas&action=edit&section=4 edit]]===

In September 1946 Byas went to Europe to tour with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Redman Don Redman]'s big band in Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany. They were the first all-black American orchestra to appear in the French capital since the liberation.[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed citation needed]''] Byas remained in Europe. After playing in Belgium and Spain, he finally settled in Paris, and was able to record almost immediately.

While still in Geneva he recorded "Laura" and "How High the Moon". In December 1946 he recorded for the first time in France, with Redman, Tyree Glenn and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanuts_Holland Peanuts Holland]. He recorded for the Swing and Blue Star labels in 1947, working with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Barclay Eddie Barclay]. In 1947 and 1948 Byas lived in Barcelona, where he moved to enjoy the lower cost of living and the thriving atmosphere.[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed citation needed]''] The pianist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tete_Montoliu Tete Montoliu] sneaked into the Copacabana Club in Barcelona to hear the great saxophone player.[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed citation needed]''] Byas was at the top of his form in these years, performing with [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bernard_Hilda&action=edit&redlink=1 Bernard Hilda]'s orchestra (August 1947), [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francisco_Sanchez_Ortega&action=edit&redlink=1 Francisco Sanchez Ortega], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luis_Rovira&action=edit&redlink=1 Luis Rovira].

He played with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Coleman Bill Coleman] in early 1949; touring that autumn with Buck Clayton. From 1948 onwards, Byas became a familiar figure not only around the Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, but also on the Riviera, where he could be seen in Saint-Tropez sporting a mask, tuba, flippers and an underwater spear-gun.[''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed citation needed]''] The tenor found work, could record regularly and had many friends. They adored not only his musical talent but his skills at the pool table, as a sportsman (fishing and diving) and a chef who cooked Cajun and Creole food.

Byas played in the Andy Kirk band in 1939-40 and later in 1944. They recorded together on Vogue in 1953. Byas also recorded with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_Booker Beryl Booker] in the same year.

===Netherlands[[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Byas&action=edit&section=5 edit]]===

Byas relocated to the Netherlands and married a Dutch woman. He worked extensively in Europe, often with such touring American musicians as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Blakey Art Blakey], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Clarke Kenny Clarke], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Ellington Duke Ellington], Gillespie, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_at_the_Philharmonic Jazz at the Philharmonic], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Powell Bud Powell], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Webster Ben Webster]. He also recorded with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fado fado] singer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am%C3%A1lia_Rodrigues Amália Rodrigues] during his time in Europe. Byas did not return to the U.S. until 1970, appearing at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newport_Jazz_Festival Newport Jazz Festival].

Byas died in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam Amsterdam] in 1972 from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer lung cancer], aged 59.