Don Byron
Encyclopedia
Don Byron is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist. He primarily plays clarinet
, but has also used bass clarinet
and saxophone
s.
Though rooted in jazz, Byron's music is stylistically eclectic. He's worked in many different musical genres, ranging from klezmer
music and German lieder, to Raymond Scott
's "cartoon-jazz," hard rock
/metal
, and rap. Most of Byron's albums have
been conceptual
, devoted to works of a particular musician and/or style of music.
, in New York City
. Both parents were musicians: his mother a pianist and his father played bass in calypso bands. As well as listening to jazz recordings by Dizzy Gillespie
, Miles Davis
and others, he was exposed to other styles through trips to the ballet and symphony concerts.
He studied clarinet with Joe Allard and studied music at the New England Conservatory in Boston
with George Russell. While in Boston, Byron performed and recorded with the Klezmer Conservatory Band
, founded by NEC faculty member Hankus Netsky.
(which he only plays occasionally), but on many of his album
s he subordinates his own playing to the exploration of a particular style. Byron is representative of a new generation of conservatory-trained jazz musicians who explore and record in a rich array of styles; his first album, Tuskegee Experiments, is a stew of classical avant garde and atonal jazz improvisation, while albums such as Bug Music represent a straight-ahead exploration of the traditional jazz 'tune'.
Byron is a practicing jazz historian, and some of his albums have been recreations (in spirit) of forgotten moments in the history of popular music. Examples are Plays the Music of Mickey Katz, Bug Music, and Ivey-Divey. Byron has been nominated for a Grammy award
for his bass clarinet solo on "I Want to Be Happy" from Ivey-Divey.
Byron is a member of the Black Rock Coalition
. He has recorded with Uri Caine
, Dean Bowman, Vernon Reid
, Bill Frisell
, Joe Henry
, and others.
Byron was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards
to support independent artists' careers.
In 2001, Byron performed "Bli Blip" for the Red Hot Organization
's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo
, a tribute to Duke Ellington
, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS
awareness and fighting the disease.
Byron was named a 2007 USA Gund Foundation Fellow and awarded a US$50,000 grant by United States Artists
, a public charity that supports and promotes the work of American artists.
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, but has also used bass clarinet
Bass clarinet
The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s.
Though rooted in jazz, Byron's music is stylistically eclectic. He's worked in many different musical genres, ranging from klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
music and German lieder, to Raymond Scott
Raymond Scott
Raymond Scott was an American composer, band leader, pianist, engineer, recording studio maverick, and electronic instrument inventor....
's "cartoon-jazz," hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, and rap. Most of Byron's albums have
been conceptual
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, devoted to works of a particular musician and/or style of music.
Early life
Byron was born in The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Both parents were musicians: his mother a pianist and his father played bass in calypso bands. As well as listening to jazz recordings by Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and others, he was exposed to other styles through trips to the ballet and symphony concerts.
He studied clarinet with Joe Allard and studied music at the New England Conservatory in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
with George Russell. While in Boston, Byron performed and recorded with the Klezmer Conservatory Band
Klezmer Conservatory Band
The Klezmer Conservatory Band is an Boston-based group which performs traditional klezmer music; it was formed by Hankus Netsky of the New England Conservatory of Music in 1980. Originally formed for a single concert, they have gone on to release eleven albums....
, founded by NEC faculty member Hankus Netsky.
Musical career
Byron is a gifted performer on clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
(which he only plays occasionally), but on many of his album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s he subordinates his own playing to the exploration of a particular style. Byron is representative of a new generation of conservatory-trained jazz musicians who explore and record in a rich array of styles; his first album, Tuskegee Experiments, is a stew of classical avant garde and atonal jazz improvisation, while albums such as Bug Music represent a straight-ahead exploration of the traditional jazz 'tune'.
Byron is a practicing jazz historian, and some of his albums have been recreations (in spirit) of forgotten moments in the history of popular music. Examples are Plays the Music of Mickey Katz, Bug Music, and Ivey-Divey. Byron has been nominated for a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for his bass clarinet solo on "I Want to Be Happy" from Ivey-Divey.
Byron is a member of the Black Rock Coalition
Black Rock Coalition
The Black Rock Coalition is a New York-based artists' collective and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the creative freedom and works of black musicians....
. He has recorded with Uri Caine
Uri Caine
Uri Caine is an American classical and jazz pianist and composer.-Early years:The son of Burton Caine, a professor at Temple Law School, Caine began playing piano at seven and studied with French jazz pianist Bernard Peiffer at 12. He later studied at the University of Pennsylvania where he came...
, Dean Bowman, Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
, Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
, Joe Henry
Joe Henry
Joseph Lee "Joe" Henry is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Henry's musical style spans several genres, including alt. country, rock, jazz and folk.- Early years :...
, and others.
Byron was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
to support independent artists' careers.
In 2001, Byron performed "Bli Blip" for the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo
Red Hot + Indigo
Red Hot + Indigo is the 13th entry from the Red Hot AIDS benefit series of compilation albums produced by Paul Heck. It marks the tenth anniversary of the Red Hot Organization , an international organization which uses mass media as a fundraising tool for its efforts at increasing public AIDS...
, a tribute to Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
awareness and fighting the disease.
Byron was named a 2007 USA Gund Foundation Fellow and awarded a US$50,000 grant by United States Artists
United States Artists
United States Artists is an independent nonprofit and nongovernmental philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles, California and dedicated to supporting the work of living American artists by the granting of cash awards, called USA Fellowships...
, a public charity that supports and promotes the work of American artists.
As leader
- Tuskegee ExperimentsTuskegee ExperimentsTuskegee Experiments is the first album as leader by jazz clarinettist Don Byron. Its title refers to the Tuskegee syphilis experiment — the notorious medical experiment conducted around Tuskegee, Alabama, lasting from 1932 to 1972, in which 400 subjects, mainly poor, black sharecroppers,...
(1992) - Plays the Music of Mickey KatzMickey KatzMickey Katz , was an American comedian and musician who specialized in Jewish humor. He was the father of actor Joel Grey and grandfather of actress Jennifer Grey.-Family:...
(1993) - Music for Six Musicians (1995)
- No-Vibe Zone: Live at the Knitting Factory (1996)
- Bug Music (1996)
- "Puzzle" (1997)
- Nu Blaxploitation (1998)
- Romance with the Unseen (1999)
- A Fine Line: Arias and Lieder (2000)
- You Are #6: More Music for Six Musicians (2001)
- Ivey-Divey (2004)
- Don Byron Trio - Live at Willisau Jazz Festival (2005)
- A Ballad for Many (2006)
- Light, "Four Thoughts on Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Thought #3", ETHELEthel (string quartet)ETHEL is a New York based string quartet that was co-founded in 1998 by Ralph Farris, viola; Dorothy Lawson, cello; Todd Reynolds, violin; and Mary Rowell, violin. Unlike most string quartets, ETHEL plays with amplification and integrates improvisation into its performances...
, 2006 - Do The Boomerang - The Music of Junior Walker" (2006)
As sideman
With Anthony BraxtonAnthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
- 4 (Ensemble) Compositions 19924 (Ensemble) Compositions 19924 Compositions is an album by American saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton ecorded in 1993 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:...
(Black Saint, 1993)