Don Byas • Featuring Mary Lou Williams Trio & Beryl Booker Trio

Biography by Scott Yanow
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.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byas-mn0000172350/biography

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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Uno de los más grandes tenores, la decisión de Don Byas de trasladarse permanentemente a Europa en 1946 hizo que fuera subestimado en los libros de historia del jazz. Su conocimiento de los acordes rivalizaba con el de Coleman Hawkins y, debido a su similitud en los tonos, Byas puede considerarse una extensión del tenor mayor. Tocó con muchas bandas de swing de primera línea, como las de Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940) y, sobre todo, Count Basie (1941-1943). Un estilista de swing avanzado, la forma de tocar de Byas miraba hacia el bop. Tocó en el Minton's Playhouse a principios de los años 40, apareció en la calle 52 con Dizzy Gillespie e interpretó un par de impresionantes dúos con el bajista Slam Stewart en un concierto en el Town Hall en 1944. Después de grabar extensamente durante 1945-1946 (a menudo como líder), Byas se fue a Europa con la banda de Don Redman y (con la excepción de una aparición en 1970 en el Festival de Jazz de Newport) nunca volvió a los EE.UU. Vivió en Francia, los Países Bajos y Dinamarca; a menudo apareció en festivales; y trabajó constantemente. Siempre que los músicos estadounidenses estaban de gira, preguntaban por Byas, que tuvo la oportunidad de actuar con Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (incluida una batalla de tenores grabada con Hawkins y Stan Getz), Art Blakey y (en una grabación de 1968) Ben Webster. Byas también grabó a menudo en la década de 1950, pero fue olvidado en gran medida en los Estados Unidos en el momento de su muerte.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byas-mn0000172350/biography

 

Track list:  
1. O, W. (Williams)   
2. Mary's Waltz (Williams)   
3. Just You, Just Me (Kanges)   
4. Lullaby Of The Leaves (Young)   
5. Moonglow (Hudson)   
6. Why (Chappelle)   
7. Chicka Boom Blues (Traditionnel)  
8. New Musical Express (Williams)   
9. Paris Medley : April In Paris, Paris In The Spring, The Last Time I Saw Paris...  
10. Cheek To Cheek (Berlin)  
11. Makin Whoopee (Kahn)   
12. I Should Care (Cahn) 
13. Beryl Booker's Byased Blues (Booker)   
14. Sincerely (X)   
15. Burt's Pad (Renaud)  
16. I Can Get Started (Gershwin)  
17. Just One Of Those Things (Porter) 

Total time - 68:09


LINEUP:
Don Byas(ts) with
(1-8) - Mary Lou Williams(p), Alvin "Buddy" Banks(b), Gerard Pochonet(dr) (Don except on 3,7)
'53/12/2 Paris
(9-13) - Beryl Booker(p,vo), Bonnie Wetzel(b), Elaine Leighton(dr) (Don except on 9,10)
'54/2 Paris
(14,16,17) - Maurice Vander(p), Sadi(vib), Pierre Michelot(b), Benny Bennett(dr)
'55/5/10 Paris
(15) - same as 14 Roger Paraboschi(dr) replace B.Bennett
'55/5/12 Paris

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