Legend : Donald Byrd

b. 9th December 1932, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A

Donald Byrd captured the tenor of his times as did Clifford Brown and Freddie Hubbard. He studied music at Wayne State University, from which he received his bachelor's degree in 1954. He went on to receive a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music in the mid-'50's. At the same time, he recorded for the Prestige, Riverside, and Blue Note, and Savoy labels (among others), both as a leader and as a sideman.

Following stints with the likes of Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Sonny Rollins, Byrd co-led a band with the baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams from 1958-61. Byrd studied composition in Europe from 1962-63, then returned to the U.S., where he established himself as an academic, teaching at Rutgers, Howard University, and the Hampton Institute. Byrd received his law degree in 1976; he subsequently taught at North Carolina Central University. In 1982, he received his doctorate from Columbia Teachers College. Byrd continued to perform and record, releasing a number of fine straight-ahead Blue Note albums throughout the '60's.

In the '70's, his music took a decidedly commercial turn. During the early Seventies, Byrd put together a group of his students, forming a band whose title became based around his surname. The Blackbyrds. They recorded a string of successful chart singles which included the song 'Walking In Rhythm', an enormous pop hit both sides of the Atlantic. Byrd recorded a number of heavily produced, pop-oriented albums on which his horn was subjugated by disco-fied vocals and string sections.

Byrd worked alongside producers 'The Mizell Brothers' throughout this period with 'Places & Spaces' being considered his finest work at this time. In the '80's and '90's Byrd returned to his jazz roots, recording with peers such as Joe Henderson and Bobby Hutcherson, and with younger musicians like Kenny Garrett and Mulgrew Miller.

In 2001, Donald Byrd had become unwell.

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Discography

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Leader

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1955

• Donald Byrd - Byrd Jazz (Transition TRLP 5)
• Donald Byrd - Byrd's Word (Savoy MG 12032)
• Donald Byrd Quartet And Quintet (Eros ERP 50067)
• Donald Byrd - Byrd's Eye View (Transition TRLP 4) (MP3/FLAC)

1956

• Donald Byrd - Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill (Transition TRLP 17) (MP3/FLAC)/ alternate /
• Donald Byrd & Doug Watkins - The Transition Sessions (1955-56)

1957

• Donald Byrd/Clare Fischer - September Afternoon (Discovery DS 869)
• Donald Byrd\Kenny Burrell – All Night Long

1958

• Donald Byrd - Byrd In Paris, Vol. 1 (Brunswick (F) 87 903)
• Donald Byrd – Parisian Thoroughfare (Brunswick (F) 87 904) / FLAC
  
• Donald Byrd Plays Au Chat - 0:15 (Jazz O.P. (F) OMS 7001/02)
• Donald Byrd - Off To The Races (Blue Note BLP 4007) /FLAC/

1959

• Donald Byrd - Fuego (Blue Note BLP 4026) /FLAC/
• Donald Byrd - Byrd In Hand (Blue Note BLP 4019) /FLAC/ FLAC

1960

• Donald Byrd - Byrd In Flight (Blue Note BLP 4048)
• Donald Byrd - At The Half Note Cafe, Vol.1 & Vol. 2 (Blue Note BLP 4061) /Part 1/ Part 2/
• At The Half Note Cafe, Vol. 1 /FLAC/
• At The Half Note Cafe, Vol. 2 /FLAC/
• Donald Byrd & Booker Little - The Third World
• Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams - Motor City Scene (Bethlehem BCP 6056) / FLAC
  

1961

• Donald Byrd - Chant (Blue Note LT 991)
• Donald Byrd - The Cat Walk (Blue Note BLP 4075)
  
• Donald Byrd - Hip-Intertainment, Vol. 1 (VGM 0002)
• Donald Byrd - Royal Flush (Blue Note BLP 4101)
  
• Donald Byrd - Free Form (Blue Note BLP 4118)

1962

• Donald Byrd/Johnny Coles - Groovin' For Nat (Black Lion (E) BLCD 760134) /FLAC/

1963

• Donald Byrd - A New Perspective (Blue Note BLP 4124)

1964

• Donald Byrd - I'm Tryin' To Get Home (Blue Note BLP 4188)
• Up With Donald Byrd (Verve V/V6 8609) / FLAC
  

1966

• Donald Byrd - Mustang! (Blue Note BLP 4238)

1967

• Donald Byrd - Blackjack (Blue Note BLP 4259)
• Donald Byrd - Slow Drag (Blue Note BST 84292)
• Donald Byrd - The Creeper (Blue Note LT 1096)

1969

• Donald Byrd - Fancy Free (Blue Note BST 84319)
• Donald Byrd - Kofi (Blue Note B1 31875) / FLAC

1970

• Donald Byrd - Electric Byrd (Blue Note BST 84349)

1971

• Donald Byrd - Ethiopian Knights (Blue Note BST 84380)
  

1972

• Donald Byrd - Black Byrd (Blue Note BN-LA 047-F) / FLAC

1973

• Donald Byrd - Street Lady (Blue Note BN-LA 140-F) / WAV one two three
  

1974

• Donald Byrd - Steppin' Into Tomorrow (Blue Note BN-LA 368-G)

1975

• Donald Byrd - Places And Spaces (Blue Note BN-LA 549-G)

1976

• Donald Byrd - Caricatures (Blue Note BN-LA 633-G)
• V.A. - Blue Note Live At The Roxy (Blue Note BN-LA 663-J2)

1978

• Donald Byrd - Thank You... For F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life) (Elektra ELK 52097)

1979

• Donald Byrd And 125th Street, N.Y.C. (Elektra)
  

1981

• Love Byrd: Donald Byrd and 125th St, N.Y.C. (Elektra 1981)

1982

• Donald Byrd - Words, Sounds, Colors And Shapes (Elektra ELK 52427)

1987

• Donald Byrd - Harlem Blues (Landmark LLP 1516)
• Donald Byrd - Harlem Blues (Landmark LCD 1516-2) / alternate / alternate
  

1989

• Donald Byrd - Getting Down To Business (Landmark LLP 1523)
• Donald Byrd - Getting Down To Business (Landmark LCD 1523-2)

1991

• Donald Byrd - A City Called Heaven (Landmark LLP 1530)
  

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Sideman

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1947

• Robert Barnes Sextet (Fortune 113)

1955

• Kenny Clarke - Bohemia After Dark (Savoy MG 12017)
• Cannonball Adderley - Discoveries (Savoy SJL 1195)
• Oscar Pettiford (Bethlehem BCP 33)
• George Wallington Quintet At The Bohemia (Progressive LP 1001)
• George Wallington Quintet At The Cafe Bohemia Featuring The Peck (Overseas (J) ULS 1860)
• V.A. - Montage (Savoy MG 12029)
• Jackie McLean - The New Tradition (Adlib AD 6601)
• The Hank Jones Quartet/Quintet (Savoy MG 12037)
• Hank Jones - Bluebird (Savoy MG 12053)
• Ernie Wilkins - Top Brass (Savoy MG 12044)
• V.A. - Jazz In Transition (Transition TRLP 30)

1956

• George Wallington - Jazz For The Carriage Trade (Prestige PRLP 7032)
• Jackie McLean - Lights Out! (Prestige PRLP 7035)
• The Jazz Message Of Hank Mobley (Savoy MG 12064)
• Kenny Clarke - Klook's Clique (Savoy MG 12065)
• V.A. - Know Your Jazz, Vol. 1 (ABC-Paramount ABC 115)
• The Jazz Messengers (Columbia CL 897)
• Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers - Originally (Columbia FC 38036)
• The Cool Voice Of Rita Reys With Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers (Philips (H) B 08006L)
• Art Farmer/Donald Byrd - 2 Trumpets (Prestige PRLP 7062)
• Elmo Hope - Informal Jazz (Prestige PRLP 7043)
• Phil Woods - Pairing Off (Prestige PRLP 7046)
• Jackie McLean - 4, 5 And 6 (Prestige PRLP 7048)
• Gene Ammons - Jammin' With Gene (Prestige PRLP 7060)
• Horace Silver - Silver's Blue (Epic LN 3326)
• Hank Mobley - Mobley's Message (Prestige PRLP 7061)
• The Jazz Message Of Hank Mobley, #2 (Savoy MG 12092)
• Paul Chambers - Whims Of Chambers (Blue Note BLP 1534) / FLAC
  
• Phil Woods/Donald Byrd - The Young Bloods (Prestige PRLP 7080)
• Horace Silver - 6 Pieces Of Silver (Blue Note BLP 1539)
• Horace Silver - Sterling Silver (Blue Note BN-LA 945-H)
• Hank Mobley With Donald Byrd And Lee Morgan (Blue Note BLP 1540)
• The Complete Blue Note Hank Mobley Fifties Sessions (Mosaic MQ10-181)
• Doug Watkins - Watkins At Large (Transition TRLP 20)
• Sonny Rollins, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1542)
• The Prestige All Stars - All Night Long (Prestige PRLP 7073) (MP3/FLAC)
• V.A. - Body And Soul (Status ST 8317)

1957

• The Prestige All Stars - All Day Long (Prestige PRLP 7081)
• Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - Jazz Lab (Columbia CL 998)
• The Prestige All Stars - Three Trumpets (Prestige PRLP 7092)
• Lou Donaldson - Wailing With Lou (Blue Note BLP 1545)
• V.A. - Jazz Omnibus (Columbia CL 1020)
• A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1547)
• A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 2 (Blue Note BLP 1548)
• Art Taylor - Taylor's Wailers (Prestige PRLP 7117) (MP3/FLAC)
• Gigi Gryce And The Jazz Lab Quintet (Riverside RLP 12-229)
• George Wallington - The New York Scene (New Jazz NJLP 8207)
• American Jazzmen Play Andre Hodeir's Essais (Savoy MG 12104)
• Billy Ver Planck - Dancing Jazz (Savoy MG 12101)
• Kenny Burrell/Jimmy Raney - 2 Guitars (Prestige PRLP 7119) / FLAC
  
• Kenny Drew - This Is New (Riverside RLP 12-236)
• Hank Mobley - Hank (Blue Note BLP 1560)
• Paul Chambers Quintet (Blue Note BLP 1564)
• The Gigi Gryce - Donald Byrd Jazz Lab And Cecil Taylor At Newport (Verve MGV 8238)
• Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - New Formulas From Jazz Lab (RCA (J) 6015)
• Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - Jazz Lab (Jubilee JLP 1059)
• Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd - Modern Jazz Perspective (Columbia CL 1058)
• Sonny Clark - Sonny's Crib (Blue Note BLP 1576)
• Gigi Gryce/Donald Byrd/Jackie Paris - Jazz Lab Quintet Plus Jackie Paris (Columbia JC 36810)
• John Jenkins/Donald Byrd - Jazz Eyes (Regent MG 6056)
• John Jenkins/Donald Byrd - Star Eyes (Savoy SJL 1114)
• V.A. - Jazz Is Busting Out All Over! (Savoy MG 12123)
• V.A. - Winner's Circle (Bethlehem BCP 6024)
• V.A. - Modern Jazz Festival (Europe Jazz Tone (E) J 1245)
• George Wallington - Jazz At Hotchkiss (Savoy MG 12122)
• Red Garland - All Mornin' Long (Prestige PRLP 7130)
• Red Garland - Soul Junction (Prestige PRLP 7181)
• Red Garland - High Pressure (Prestige PRLP 7209)
• Red Garland - Dig It! (Prestige PRLP 7229)
• Lou Donaldson - Lou Takes Off (Blue Note BLP 1591)
• John Coltrane - Bethlehem Years (Bethlehem 20 50012)
• Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem BCP 6027)

1958

• John Coltrane - Lush Life (Prestige PRLP 7188)
• John Coltrane - The Believer (Prestige PRLP 7292)
• John Coltrane - The Last Trane (Prestige PR 7378)
• Johnny Griffin Sextet (Riverside RLP 12-264)
• Thelonious Monk - Blues Five Spot (Milestone M 9124)
• Manny Albam - Jazz New York (Dot DLP 9004)
• Pepper Adams - 10 To 4 At The 5 Spot (Riverside RLP 12-265)
• John Coltrane - Black Pearls (Prestige PRLP 7316)
• Michel Legrand - Legrand Jazz (Columbia CL 1250)
• V.A. - Hello Baden-Baden (Jazzline (G) JL 20828)
• Dizzy Reece - Blues In Trinity (Blue Note BLP 4006)
• Dizzy Reece - Blues In Trinity (Blue Note CDP 7243 8 32093-2)
• Art Blakey - Holiday For Skins, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 4004)
• Art Blakey - Holiday For Skins, Vol. 2 (Blue Note BLP 4005)
• V.A. - Jazz Festival In Stereo: Hear In And Far Out (Warner Bros. WB 1281)
• Jim Timmens - Gilbert And Sullivan Revisited (Warner Bros. WB 1278)

1959

• Jackie McLean - Jackie's Bag (Blue Note BLP 4051) APE
• Mundell Lowe - TV Action Jazz! (RCA Camden CAL 522)
• The Thelonious Monk Orchestra At Town Hall (Riverside RLP 12-300)
• Thelonious Monk - In Person (Milestone M 47033)
• Thelonious Monk - Evidence (Milestone M 9115)
• Chris Connor - Ballads Of The Sad Cafe (Atlantic LP 1307)
• Sonny Clark - My Conception (Blue Note (J) GXF 3056)
• Manny Albam/Teo Macero - Something New, Something Blue (Columbia CL 1388)
• Jackie McLean - Vertigo (Blue Note LT 1085)
• Jackie McLean - New Soil (Blue Note BLP 4013)
• Walter Davis Jr. - Davis Cup (Blue Note BLP 4018)

1960

• Earl Zindars/Armando Peraza - The Soul Of Jazz Percussion (Warwick W 5003ST) [also released as Donald Byrd\Booker Little - The Third World]
• Bunky Green - My Babe (Exodus EXS 6001)

1961

• Jammin' With The Herbie Hancock Quintet (Happy Bird (G) B 90172)
• Pepper Adams/Donald Byrd - Out Of This World (Warwick W 2041)
• V.A. - The Lost Sessions (Blue Note CDP 7243 5 21484-2)

1962

• Duke Pearson - Hush! (Jazzline JAZ 33-02)
• Al Grey - Dirty Low Down Blues c/w Nothing But The Truth (Argo 5421)
• Al Grey - Snap Your Fingers (Argo LP 700)

1963

• Hank Mobley - No Room For Squares (Blue Note BLP 4149)
• Hank Mobley - Straight No Filter (Blue Note BST 84435)
• Hank Mobley - Straight No Filter (Blue Note CDP 7 84435-2)
• Hank Mobley - The Turnaround! (Blue Note BLP 4186)
• Jimmy Heath And Brass - Swamp Seed (Riverside RLP 465)
• Herbie Hancock - My Point Of View (Blue Note BLP 4126)
• Herbie Hancock - The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions (Blue Note CDP 7243 4 95569-2)

1964

• V.A. - NDR Jazz Workshop (Atlantic (Eu) ATL 60073)
• Dexter Gordon - One Flight Up (Blue Note BLP 4176)
• Eric Dolphy - Unrealized Tapes (West Wind (G) WW 016)
• Eric Dolphy - Naima (Jazzway (It) MUTT 1502)
• V.A. - International Jazz Workshop: Ruhr Festival 1964 (Philips 48095)
• Cal Tjader - Soul Sauce (Verve V/V6 8614)
• Duke Pearson - Wahoo! (Blue Note BLP 4191)

1965

• Dexter Gordon - Ladybird (SteepleChase (D) SCCD 36035)
• Wes Montgomery - Goin' Out Of My Head (Verve V/V6 8642)

1967

• Stanley Turrentine Best Album (Blue Note BN-LA 394-H2)
• Stanley Turrentine - New Time Shuffle (Blue Note LT 993)
• Sam Rivers - Involution (Blue Note BN-LA 453-H2)
• Hank Mobley - Far Away Lands (Blue Note BST 84425)

1977

• Gene Harris - Tone Tantrums (Blue Note BN-LA 760-H)

1978

• Sonny Rollins - Don't Stop The Carnival (Milestone M 55005) / Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / part 5 / [pw=jazzclub]

Bootleg

1973 - Donald Byrd - Jazz Workshop, Boston - great show!

Compilations

• Donald Byrd & Pepper Adams - The Complete Blue Note Studio Sessions
• Paul Chambers - Mosaic Select / Disc 1 / Disc 2 / Disc 3 /
• 1976 - Donald Byrd's Best
• 1992 - The Best of Donald Byrd (All 70's Songs)
• Blue Breakbeats (1967-76) (FLAC)

Productions

• The Blackbyrd's Discography
• 1975 - The Three Pieces - Vibes Of Truth

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Resources

• Donald Byrd at Soulwalking
  Donald Byrd Discography at Jazz Disco

Thanks to: Avaxhome, Call It Anything, Cheeba, Simon666, Myfavoritesound, San Pasquale, My Jazz World, Forrealheadz, Blue Crate Breaks, Green, Vel Kam, Fresh Sly, Seventeen Green Buicks, que parte no entendiste, the roadhouse viander, genushaha, Hot Beat Jazz