Happy Birthday Don Byron

November 8, 1958

A tribute to the highly individual clarinetist

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Clarinetist Don Byron was born on November 8, 1958 in New York, New York.

The son of a mother who was a pianist and a father who played bass, Byron studied clarinet and attended the New England Conservatory in Boston where he played with the Klezmer Conservatory Band.

Byron has explored many different genres of music on his recordings including avant-garde jazz, the unique music of Raymond Scott, klezmer, and tributes to both Lester Young and Junior Walker.

He has also recorded as a sideman with Hamiet Bluiett (The Clarinet Family), Craig Harris, Ralph Peterson, Reggie Workman, Gerry Hemingway, David Murray, Steve Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell, Allen Toussaint and many others.

A unique soloist, Byron is featured on tenor and clarinet during a June 12, 2013 set with his New Gospel Quintet.

Personnel:

Don Byron, clarinet, tenor
Carla Cook, vocals
Nat Adderley Jr, piano
Brad Jones, bass, vocals
Pheeroan ak Laff, drums

-Scott Yanow

 

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