Donald Byrd

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Biography

Detroit, United States (1932 – 2013)

Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II (born December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz, rhythm and blues trumpeter. Born in Detroit, Michigan. He performed with Lionel Hampton before finishing high school. After playing in a military band during a term in the United States Air Force, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in music from Wayne State University and a master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music. While still at the Manhattan School he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, replacing Clifford Brown. After leaving the Jazz Messengers in 1956 he performed with a wide variety of highly regarded jazz musicians.

In the 1970s, he moved away from his previous hard-bop jazz base and began to record jazz fusion and rhythm and blues. Teaming up with the Mizell Brothers, he produced Black Byrd, which was enormously successful and became Blue Note Records’ highest-ever selling album. The follow-up albums, Places and Spaces, Stepping Into Tomorrow, and Street Lady, were also big sellers, and have subsequently provided a rich source of samples for hip-hop artists such as Us3.

He has taught music at Rutgers University, the Hampton Institute, New York University, Howard University, and Oberlin College. In 1974 he created The Blackbyrds, a fusion group consisting of his best students. They scored several major hits, including “Walking In Rhythm” and “Blackbyrds Theme”.
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  • rock-star-queen

    Cantaloupe Island <3

    24 Apr 8:44am Reply

  • EricLGrover

    Great stuff!...:)

    17 Apr 5:19am Reply

  • MCLaim

    RIP...!

    11 Apr 11:53am Reply

  • JBThazard

    Good night.

    2 Mar 3:12am Reply

  • BohemianBonze

    Just show God how to blow that damn thing. Rest in Peace. Love

    27 Feb 7:51pm Reply

  • dougscot1

    R.I.P. Sometimes I Feel Like a Byrdless Child

    26 Feb 3:10am Reply

  • AbbottSupreme

    Rest In Power Legendary Trumpet Player.

    25 Feb 2:24am Reply

  • joyride

    R.I.P 安らかに。

    19 Feb 11:12pm Reply

  • GiaNXGX

    rest in peace Donald.

    16 Feb 6:30am Reply

  • jdotperiod

    Places and Spaces was the very first LP that I purchased online way back in 2003 when I first became a crate digger. Words can't explain the magic that occurred whenever I placed the needle on the groove. Rest In Power, Mr. Byrd.

    16 Feb 12:32am Reply

  • BJBooth

    RIP, say hello to Coltrane, pal

    14 Feb 10:18pm Reply

  • mr_phillip

    Good night sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest…

    13 Feb 1:10pm Reply

  • kissmylips22

    I listen to D Byrd every morning on my way to work. RIP Thanks for all the great music, he will be in my heart 4ever.

    12 Feb 3:21pm Reply

  • MusicalRoulette

    R.I.P Donald Byrd! My all time favourite jazz artist! Thanks for giving me A New Perspective!

    12 Feb 8:00am Reply

  • TantoTempo

    A great man has passed away! R.I.P

    9 Feb 7:00pm Reply

  • J-east

    R.I.P. and thanks for all the wonderfull music!

    9 Feb 12:05am Reply

  • AntBeeMomofuku

    RIP to a great man, musician and teacher.

    8 Feb 9:26pm Reply

  • Brannu

    Rest In Love beloved Ancestor. Thank you for introducing me to that Street Lady and that Black Byrd and teaching me about my Free Form and A New Perspective ... and most of all ... truly introducing me to the beauty of Jazz Music. I am forever indebted. Love.

    8 Feb 4:53pm Reply

  • sheepareevil

    RIP to a great

    8 Feb 6:33am Reply

  • IAJP

    R.I.P. DB. 60 years at the top.

    8 Feb 2:57am Reply
    • All 116 shouts

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