Click on the link here for Audio Player: DonaldByrd1964-02-26Recklinghausen
Sad news, this past week, of the passing of Jazz Giant Donald Byrd. A pioneer and innovator, Byrd was a major influence in the careers of many Musicians and in the direction Jazz took in general in the 1970’s.
His involvement with his milestone group The Blackbyrds, and his forward-thinking explorations into the Avant-Garde and Free Jazz, laid the groundwork for many to follow in his footsteps.
This weekend though, I ran across an example one of his previous incarnations – leading a big band in a concert recorded by the German Radio network WDR on February 26, 1964.
Here’s what’s on the player:
Donald Byrd Big-Band. Feb 26, 1964
Recklinghausen, Vestlandhalle Germany
WDR-Broadcast
Donald Byrd (tp),
Benny Bailey (tp),
Jon Eardley (tp, contra alt-tp),
Idrees Sulieman (tp, as),
Johnny Renard (tp, mellophone),
Albert Mangelsdorff (tb),
Eje Thelin (tb),
Ake Persson (tb),
Nat Peck (tb, v-tb),
Hans Koller (ts),
Johnny Scott (as, fl, a-fl, cl),
Klaus Doldinger (ts, as, ss),
Johnny Griffin (ts),
Sahib Shihab (bs, fl),
Rolf Kühn (cl, ts),
Ingfried Hoffmann (p, org),
Pierre Cavalli (g),
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b),
Egil Johansen (dr),
1 Hey day (Peck) (4:32)
2 Night song (Doldinger) (5:12)
3 Conversations (Shihab) (7:42)
4. Concerto for Benjamin and Jonathan (Eardley) (10:36)
There is no doubt Donald Byrd left a long and enduring legacy for future generations of Jazz Musicians (and all musicians, for that matter), to follow.
His was a unique and gifted voice – and it will be missed. But it will always be remembered.
RIP – Donald Byrd.
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