ASNL77 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Donald Byrd will be playing there from Tuesday 2nd to Sunday 7th of Janury. I believe he hasn't played in London for about 30 years. The Jazz Cafe website doesn't say much about the type of music he will be playing and who he will be with. Does anybody else have more information about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertrand Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 (edited) What Donald Byrd is up to these days is not clear at all, so I'm very curious to see how this turns out. He is scheduled to play as a guest (along with Jimmy Heath) with the Ahmad Jamal trio later on this year at the Kennedy Center. Whether or not I attend will sort of depend on any feedback I hear about Byrd. I saw him with his students about 10 years ago and it was very weak, but then I saw him a couple of years later with Joe Chambers and it was much better. Let us know what you hear. Thanks, Bertrand. Edited December 30, 2006 by bertrand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Hawkins Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Rumour I heard (and do check it out one way or the other before deciding, because it was just a rumour) was that it's going to be fusion-y stuff. That would figure with the Jazz Cafe thing, although by the same token, that could be the route of the rumour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 I've seen Donald Byrd twice--once in the mid-1980s and again around 1992 or 93. He was terrible both times-the worst trumpet playing I've ever heard on a stage. If you are a fan of his 50s and 60s work, you are going to be very disappointed. He really could not play well anymore when I saw him. Perhaps he has regained his chops in the last dozen years or so, I don't know, but it seems rather doubtful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 YOU ARE ALL COLD-HEARTED BASTARDS. I BET NONE OF YOU COULD ACTUALLY EVEN LOOK DB IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM WHAT U REALLY THINK, YOU WOULD BE A COWARD AND JUST HAVE HIM SIGN YOUR MINT COPY OF THE MONO EDITION OF BYRD IN HAND OR SOMETHIN LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THE MAN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcavanagh Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 Time Out London said that he'll be playing two sets each night - one of "grits-and-gravy '60s hard bop, one of '70s style electric funk". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 I've seen Donald Byrd twice--once in the mid-1980s and again around 1992 or 93. He was terrible both times-the worst trumpet playing I've ever heard on a stage. If you are a fan of his 50s and 60s work, you are going to be very disappointed. He really could not play well anymore when I saw him. Perhaps he has regained his chops in the last dozen years or so, I don't know, but it seems rather doubtful Me too. I've heard him three times--once in the mid-70's--he could still blow the horn, but the music was really boring and insipid. Then again around '89 and '92. Pretty weak. But "the worst trumpet playing I have ever heard on stage" award goes to Freddie Hubbard about 3-4 years ago. He couldn't play more than about ten seconds at a time because his lip was so bad--eventually he sat down at the piano and finished the set at the keyboard. Now, THAT was sad to see (and hear). I will be at the gig in D.C. in March and I'll report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 I've seen Donald Byrd twice--once in the mid-1980s and again around 1992 or 93. He was terrible both times-the worst trumpet playing I've ever heard on a stage. If you are a fan of his 50s and 60s work, you are going to be very disappointed. He really could not play well anymore when I saw him. Perhaps he has regained his chops in the last dozen years or so, I don't know, but it seems rather doubtful Me too. I've heard him three times--once in the mid-70's--he could still blow the horn, but the music was really boring and insipid. Then again around '89 and '92. Pretty weak. But "the worst trumpet playing I have ever heard on stage" award goes to Freddie Hubbard about 3-4 years ago. He couldn't play more than about ten seconds at a time because his lip was so bad--eventually he sat down at the piano and finished the set at the keyboard. Now, THAT was sad to see (and hear). I will be at the gig in D.C. in March and I'll report back. I saw Freddie for the last time around 1991--he still sounded great. I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umum_cypher Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 Email from the PR ... DONALD BYRD HAS CANCELLED HIS SHOWS DUE TO UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THIS TUESDAY 2nd , WEDNESDAY 3rd & THURSDAY 4th . THE REPLACEMENT WILL BE ROY AYERS UBIQUITY + support from DJ PERRY LOUIS ( JAZZ COTECH ). TICKETS WILL BE PRICED AT £17.50ADV / £20 DOOR I was going to see him in Philadelphia a couple of years ago, but he cancelled then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 I've seen both Byrd and Hubbard in the past 5 years. Donald played two nights in a row.....the first night his horn was miked horrible and I sat right in front of it.....could not believe how bad he sounded...was most likely the combination of his playing and the sound. The second night was much, much better.....but he is not the Donald Byrd we would all like to remember. I saw Freddie a few years ago and his playing was not good....and he knows it. He even told me before the show that he shouldn't be playing....this was a show in Indy with may of the guys he grew up with.....Slide, Spaulding, Buddy Montgomery, Billy Wooten, Phil Ranlien (sp), Mel Rhyne and many others. It was a joy to see them all together.....at that time, Ididn't care of Freddie could play or not.....just wanted to photograph this show.....very cool! I don't think either one of these guys think they are playing like it's the 60s....still it was a joy to catch both of them. m~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 YOU ARE ALL COLD-HEARTED BASTARDS. I BET NONE OF YOU COULD ACTUALLY EVEN LOOK DB IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM WHAT U REALLY THINK, YOU WOULD BE A COWARD AND JUST HAVE HIM SIGN YOUR MINT COPY OF THE MONO EDITION OF BYRD IN HAND OR SOMETHIN LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THE MAN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. Aric, I'm not sure you'd say some of the things you say to people if you were standing in front of them.....well, maybe you'd say it once..... m~ ps, I do wish I had a mint copy of Byrd in Hand to have signed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 OH MY GOD DB CANCELLED?!?!?!?? OH MY GOD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 How old is Donald Byrd? In his 70s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 How old is Donald Byrd? In his 70s? I think he just turned 75 in December. m~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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