Hardbopjazz Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 (edited) Does he play anymore, or is he retired from playing? Edited April 9, 2005 by Hardbopjazz Quote
sheldonm Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 I saw him last year and they referred to him as Dr. Byrd but he didn't go to medical school . I'm not sure he plays that much anymore. Mark Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 9, 2005 Author Report Posted April 9, 2005 I had read that a while back he lost his chops and went into teaching. Don't remember where I read this. Quote
Jazz Kat Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 I remember he went to law school or something in the late seventies, probaly after he left Blue Note. Don't know what he's doing now. Quote
Dan Gould Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 According to AMG, he received his law degree in 1976, and a Ph.D. from Columbia Teacher's College in 1982. Quote
marcello Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 This is a article from Macon, Georgia: Posted on Fri, Mar. 25, 2005 Catch the legendary jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd Thursday at the Douglass By Maggie Large Telegraph Staff Writer Jazz trumpet legend Donald Byrd probably has more degrees than any other jazz musician working today. Of course, at age 72, he's had several decades to dedicate to the pursuit of knowledge. But when you add up a bachelor's, master's, law degree and doctorate, you find a man who is fully committed to teaching generations about the genesis and revelations of jazz. He's scheduled to play at the Douglass Theatre March 31, and he will give a master class to students during the day. Interested students may call the Douglass box office for more details at 742-2000. "I will be doing an interesting program called M plus M equals A," Byrd said via telephone. "It's teaching mathematics through music and music through mathematics." Byrd is still maintaining an active schedule and is based in Dover, Del., where he has taught at Delaware State University. In recent days he's been working on a tribute concert to celebrate band leader Count Basie's 100th birthday. Google can be a wonderful tool; if you use it. Quote
bertrand Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 Very curious thing - he was at Dover (I saw him there play with Joe Chambers), then I was told he left. Now he seems to be back. Bertrand. Quote
JSngry Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 Byrd began pursuing extra-musical activities in earnest somewhere in the mid-1960s, iirc. His Landmark albums of the late 70s/early 80s show him to be playing not particularly strongly, but with sidemen like Joe Henderson & a young Kenny Garrett, it's not a distraction. FWIW, he was Artist-in Residence at NTSU (now UNT) in 1981. Quote
kh1958 Posted April 9, 2005 Report Posted April 9, 2005 I saw him play once in the mid-1980s and again in the early 1990s--both times he was not playing well; it was actually painful to hear. I would advise sticking to his many very fine recordings from the '50s and '60s Quote
mrjazzman Posted April 24, 2005 Report Posted April 24, 2005 great hard bop trumpet player, he lost me after "a new perspective"............. Quote
Jazz Kat Posted April 24, 2005 Report Posted April 24, 2005 I listen to that one to southe my soul. Quote
wigwise Posted April 24, 2005 Report Posted April 24, 2005 I filmed an interview with him in late 2004, while he was in Detroit for the Baker's Anniversary. What a fascinating character. Very outspoken, very intense. He shared some great stories. This guy knows a great deal about history and has some interesting points of view. I believe that he's currently teaching at the University of Delaware (at least he was in 2004), as he lives in Dover. In general, he was very nice, especially nice to me given that I showed him how to use his video camera. His wife was also very nice. There are a couple of great photographs of her (alone and with DB) in William Claxton's "Jazz Seen" photography book. The interview "wrapped" when Curtis Fuller called looking for him. Quote
marcello Posted April 24, 2005 Report Posted April 24, 2005 great hard bop trumpet player, he lost me after "a new perspective"............. Have you heard him on Jackie Mac's "New Soil"? I LOVE "Greasy" ! ( written by Walter Davis Jr.) Jackie McLean - Sax (Alto) Donald Byrd - Trumpet Paul Chambers - Bass Walter Davis, Jr. - Piano Pete La Roca - Drums Track Listing: Sweet Cakes Davis Cup Greasy Formidable - (bonus track on CD) Hip Strut Minor Apprehension Quote
Soul Stream Posted April 25, 2005 Report Posted April 25, 2005 Byrd began pursuing extra-musical activities in earnest somewhere in the mid-1960s, iirc. His Landmark albums of the late 70s/early 80s show him to be playing not particularly strongly, but with sidemen like Joe Henderson & a young Kenny Garrett, it's not a distraction. FWIW, he was Artist-in Residence at NTSU (now UNT) in 1981. Damn, I grew up in Denton. Probably walked right by him a dozen times. Wasn't much to the town in 1982. If I'd only known what I would have become....missed opportunities... Quote
ASNL77 Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 (edited) Am I right to think that 'Byrd in Flight' is OOP? I have seen this CD for sale several times on ebay and not being bought (with a low start price!). Have I missed anything? Is it a bad session or is there another explanation? Edited September 24, 2005 by ASNL77 Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 Am I right to think that 'Byrd in Flight' is OOP? I have seen this CD for sale several times on ebay and not being bought (with a low start price!). Have I missed anything? Is it a bad session or is there another explanation? ← So, BN issued the Conn. in 1996 and you don't have it yet. 2 quintets - one with McLean and the other with Mobley. How bad could it be? Available from youmusic for $5.99. Live on the edge! Quote
ASNL77 Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 I have missed that one! It does not appear on the Blue Note website or cduniverse (apart from the Japanese reissue). Order placed! Quote
mrjazzman Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 great hard bop trumpet player, he lost me after "a new perspective"............. Have you heard him on Jackie Mac's "New Soil"? I LOVE "Greasy" ! ( written by Walter Davis Jr.) Jackie McLean - Sax (Alto) Donald Byrd - Trumpet Paul Chambers - Bass Walter Davis, Jr. - Piano Pete La Roca - Drums Track Listing: Sweet Cakes Davis Cup Greasy Formidable - (bonus track on CD) Hip Strut Minor Apprehension ← yes, i own that cd, but i think my favorite by d.b. set is "Chant", he's amazing on that set and so is the greatest baritone saxaphonist ever pepper adams Quote
mikeweil Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 His Landmark albums of the late 70s/early 80s show him to be playing not particularly strongly, but with sidemen like Joe Henderson & a young Kenny Garrett, it's not a distraction. I found his playing on these dates was nice an' mellow. I have a CD by New Orleans pianist David Torkanowsky "Steppin' Out" from 1988 where I like him very much - I think it's a trifle better than his own Landmark dates. Quote
BruceH Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 Am I right to think that 'Byrd in Flight' is OOP? I have seen this CD for sale several times on ebay and not being bought (with a low start price!). Have I missed anything? Is it a bad session or is there another explanation? ← So, BN issued the Conn. in 1996 and you don't have it yet. 2 quintets - one with McLean and the other with Mobley. How bad could it be? Available from youmusic for $5.99. Live on the edge! ← Gee, that's a lot less than I paid for it! Quote
BruceH Posted September 24, 2005 Report Posted September 24, 2005 According to AMG, he received his law degree in 1976, and a Ph.D. from Columbia Teacher's College in 1982. ← Wow, good for him. Quote
JamesJazz Posted September 26, 2005 Report Posted September 26, 2005 The interview Ed (Wigwise) mentioned took place during Baker's Keyboard Lounge 70th anniversay celebrations last year. The CD of rare and unissued Detroit jazz will contain Byrd's first recordings, 1948 I believe. He was 14 or 15 at the time. One track has a short solo. It was pretty funny, we played that track while he was onstage at Baker's, and he covered his face with his hands and slowly shook his head... Ed is right, Donald Byrd is really articulate, thoughtful and interesting. Quote
brownie Posted March 24, 2007 Report Posted March 24, 2007 A rare meeting of Donald Byrd and Stan Getz Fontessa The TV show was filmed in July 1958 in Baden-Baden, Germany. The unseen rhythm section was Hans Hammerschmid, piano, Doug Watkins, bass, Art Taylor, drums. Quote
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