Don Byas
One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Deluxe Collection (Remastered)
Bebop - Released by Master Tape Records on 25 Jun 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Historical Jazz Recordings: 1944-1945
Jazz - Released by Historical Jazz on 1 Aug 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
En Ce Temps-La
Jazz - Released by Universal Music Division Decca Records France on 1 Jan 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
American Swinging In Paris
Jazz - Released by Parlophone (France) on 1 Jan 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Don Byas Collection 1939-61
Jazz - Released by ACROBAT on 13 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All That Jazz, Vol. 135: Don Byas – Bopping Ballads
Don Byas, Unknown Artist, Kurt Edelhagen And His Orchestra, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins
Bebop - Released by Jube Legends on 5 Feb 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Complete Jazz Series 1945 Vol. 2
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1944 - 1945
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Harvard Blues (Asia Edition)
Blues - Released by Ibiza Friends on 3 Aug 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1945 Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1952 - 1953
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Paris Jazz Scene Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Wild Waters on 24 Jun 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Complete Jazz Series 1952
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Don Byas Selected Hits Vol. 2
Jazz - Released by Charly Records on 12 Jun 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -