Don Byas Recommendations

[Jazztropic]

Any recomendations for a harder swinging set from Byas.Like in the first song of the new Uptown Dizzy Gillespie disc.

Thanks

Edited July 4, 2005 by Jazztropic

[Chuck Nessa]

Since ballads were his "specialty" the classic sides collections feature these. I suggest looking for later stuff like the Black Lion discs. OTOH, the early stuff is better than dandy. Byas was a mofo.

[JSngry]

They're not universally loved, but the Black Lion/1201/whatever 1963 dates from Montmartre show Byas playing very assertively and non-sentimentally, as does the 1961 Columbia date w/Bud Powell, A Tribute To Cannonball. There are those who find this phase of Byas' career less than satisfying, and I can see their point quite well. But still, the man was firing on all cylinders creatively and technically, and if he sometimes sounds as if he's trying a tad too hard to be "modern", it's still some hellaceous tenor playing nevertheless. I'd not be without it, just as I would not be without Byas' earlier work. Don Byas was BAAAAD!

Also in much the same vein, but on LP only, at least in the US, to the best of my knowledge, are Americans In Europe on Impulse!. which is rougly contiguous to the aforemetnioned Columbia date, and Verve's Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

[Chuck Nessa]

Also in much the same vein, but on LP only, at least in the US, to the best of my knowledge, are Americans In Europe on Impulse!. which is rougly contiguous to the aforemetnioned Columbia date, and Verve's Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

←

The Impulse stuff from Germany was on cd (Impulse GRD-150) and it is very fine indeed.

[marcello]

In a related vein I have a audio tape of Byas from the Just Jazz Show / Chicago from 1971 with Rufus Reid, Wilbur Campbel and John Young.

Included are his introductions in his Dutch accent.

Great Music!

[AllenLowe]

there's a cut from a Savoy collection, '46 or '47, that's incredibly modern, must have been a big influence on Rollins - I'll have to look up the citation -

[BeBop]

Tribute to Cannonball, already mentioned, is indeed a good one. A couple of others:

Anthropology on Black Lion is a late-era date that captures some really high-energy playing.

Early material now reissued on Classics is great.

Second-tier, but still fine stuff:

Bird's 'Birth of Bop' material - I suppose Byas' contributions could be called incidental, but the music is essential

and Byas' recordings with Basie (can't go wrong with The Count)

[marcello]

there's a cut from a Savoy collection, '46  or '47, that's incredibly modern, must have been a big influence on Rollins - I'll have to look up the citation -

←

Allen

I have a Don Byas Savoy 10" LP (Vol. 2 MG-15043) from about that time.....

[kh1958]

I have an LP on Verve called JATP in Europe, which has Hawkins, Byas, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Lalo Schifrin, Art Davis and Jo Jones, which is a great record.

Then a 2LP set, JATP in Europe, which on one side (All the Things You Are), has the same band as above, substituting Getz for Benny Carter. Is that the one you are referring to?

Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

←

Edited July 5, 2005 by kh1958

[brownie]

Chuck Nessa already recommended the Black Lion releases. Would like to add a Storyville CD 'Don Byas Quartet Feazturing Sir Charles Thompson', a 1967 live date where Byas demonstrates why he was considered a superb technician.

The lyrical side of Byas is also on display on the Jazz in Paris CDs under his name, 'Laura' and 'En Ce Temps-La'

[EKE BBB]

I agree that the earlier sides are probably his best stuff, but I strongly recommend this one:

[Jaffa]

Slightly off-topic - but Byas, nevertheless:

Has anyone else downloaded the puzzling 1945 Byas live-recordings from dimeadozen ? Parts were previously issued on Caete-LP 2 - but a lot is completely new to me ! Incidentally, I doubt the presence of Lucky Thompson on the first batch. Opinions anyone ?

[JSngry]

I have an LP on Verve called JATP in Europe, which has Hawkins, Byas, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Lalo Schifrin, Art Davis and Jo Jones, which is a great record.

Then a 2LP  set, JATP in Europe, which on one side (All the Things You Are), has the same band as above, substituting Getz for Benny Carter.  Is that the one you are referring to?

Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

←

←

Both, actually, for Byas, but for the thing with Getz, yes.

[king ubu]

This one's another pretty nice one:

Though Lulu is not allowed to play zombie jazz here

[montg]

They're not universally loved, but the Black Lion/1201/whatever 1963 dates from Montmartre show Byas playing very assertively and non-sentimentally, as does the 1961 Columbia date w/Bud Powell, A Tribute To Cannonball. There are those who find this phase of Byas' career less than satisfying, and I can see their point quite well. But still, the man was firing on all cylinders creatively and technically, and if he sometimes sounds as if he's trying a tad too hard to be "modern", it's still some hellaceous tenor playing nevertheless. I'd not be without it, just as I would not be without Byas' earlier work. Don Byas was BAAAAD!

Also in much the same vein, but on LP only, at least in the US, to the best of my knowledge, are Americans In Europe on Impulse!. which is rougly contiguous to the aforemetnioned Columbia date, and Verve's Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

I picked up Tribute to Cannonball recently (used--it's oop)...thanks for the recs, this is an excellent session. I haven't listened to much Byas in the past, out of neglect, so this is a revelation to me. A wonderful strong tone, it comes through clearly in what, to my ears at least, is a really well-recorded session.

[davidsherr]

I have an LP on Verve called JATP in Europe, which has Hawkins, Byas, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Lalo Schifrin, Art Davis and Jo Jones, which is a great record.

Then a 2LP  set, JATP in Europe, which on one side (All the Things You Are), has the same band as above, substituting Getz for Benny Carter.  Is that the one you are referring to?

Jazz At The Philharmonic In Europe where Byas goes head-to-head with Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz. The latter in particular exemplifies, neigh, veritably defines, the phrase "no bullshit"!

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Both, actually, for Byas, but for the thing with Getz, yes.

I thought Getz sounded pretty scared having to play after Hawkins and Byas. Most anyone would have been. Don's solo on All The Things You Are on the American Jazzmen in Europe is fantastic. Mostly he was fantastic.

[michel1969]

Don Byas is great as the ocean. Don Byas is the universe. Don Byas is uncomparable. I've never spent a day without him.

I srtongly suggest : ALL THE CHRONOLOGICAL CLASSICS : 882, 910, 959, 1009, 1073, 1239, 1315, 1372

And the "Jazz in Paris" series.

Don Byas rules.

[Late]

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I've no Byas at all, so I'll read this tomorrow.

Someone in America bump it before you go to bed, please.

MG

[Stefan Wood]

Bump!

There were 2 4 cds sets that the Andorrans put together -- probably taken from the Chronological Classics or other sources, but they are all in one place. I think they were divided into Complete Small Group European Sessions and American Sessions from 1946 to 51. Worth the search.

[B. Goren.]

Complete American Small Group Recordings:

Complete 1946-51 European Small Group Master Takes:

[Stefan Wood]

Those are it!!!

[papsrus]

That American Small Groups is a little hard to find. Just located and purchased a copy of the European small groups for a reasonable price.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

There's not a lot, is there?

"Laura" looks like it has some significant support - and it's cheap.

This one isn't expensive either - anyone care to comment?

Yes, Amazon UK got the sleeve wrong

This is the album

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Don-Byas/dp/B0010V...9689&sr=1-3

Looking at the track list, it seems to be a random collection culled from Classics CDs. Can anyone confirm?

There's also a Quadrophonic box cheap - here's the track list - not too legible, I'm afraid.

Comments on these two would be welcome.

MG

[Ken Dryden]

I've long enjoyed Savoy Jam Party. Look for the 2 LP set if you want the alternate takes, as the crappy CD reissue omits them, in spite of listing them on the cover (a straight reproduction of the LP).