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Don Byas Recommendations


Jazztropic

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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"!

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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.

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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)

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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 by kh1958
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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'

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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 ?

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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.

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  • 2 years later...

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.

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  • 1 year later...

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.

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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?

51YOtPiHkfL._SS500_.jpg

Yes, Amazon UK got the sleeve wrong :D

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.

4159HQ4TEEL._SS400_.jpg

Comments on these two would be welcome.

MG

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