Jazz Articles about Charlie Byrd

Charlie Byrd: Byrd Song

by David Rickert
March 19, 2003

Byrd Song is a peculiar album, even from a man whose career was always hard to pigeonhole. Although not as well-known or perhaps as highly regarded as Wes Mongomery or Kenny Burrell, Byrd was an accomplished guitarist who fused classical technique and jazz licks on everything from standards to Brazilian folk music. On Byrd Song (recorded in 1965) he embellishes his guitar- bass-drums format with a choir that sings vocalese licks (a la Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross) in response to ...

Charlie Byrd: Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros

by David Rickert
February 1, 2003

Few Americans approached bossa nova with the commitment and understanding of Charlie Byrd. His classically influenced, unamplified style was perfectly suited to the Brazilian music that quickly became his forte after the success of Jazz Samba, after which he never looked back. Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros is his finest hour, a record’s worth of bossa nova standards and originals that effectively sum up the essential tunes and everything captivating about Brazil’s finest musical export. The folksy, lilting charm and warm ...

Charlie Byrd: Blues Sonata

by David Rickert
June 1, 2001

Mention the word “Bird" and Charlie Parker immediately comes to mind with Donald Byrd soon to follow. Charlie Byrd, on the other hand, is not an artist that immediately comes to mind. Byrd first made his mark with Stan Getz on Jazz Samba, a record which unfairly obscures his work as a solo artist. He has never been held in the same esteemed class as Wes Montgomery or Kenny Burrell, but his solo work was far more eccentric than either ...

Charlie Byrd: The Best of the Concord Years

by David Adler
December 1, 2000

The late Charlie Byrd was one of those jazz figures whose choice of instrument alone made him stand out. His nylon-string guitar was ideally suited to the bossa nova idiom, in which he made his most famous historical contributions. This two-disc package captures Byrd a bit later in his career — specifically, the period from 1979 until his death in December 1999, during which he released 20 albums for Concord Records.These Concord highlights are remarkably varied, not only ...

Charlie Byrd: Byrd's Word

by Derek Taylor
December 1, 2000

A common critique leveled at Charlie Byrd throughout his career suggested that he was incapable of ‘letting his hair down’ so to speak. His guitar playing was of such consistently high caliber that many critics took his impeccable technique as a sign of pompousness and egotism. The reality is that Byrd was equally adept in a lofty concert hall or smoky jazz club and he viewed either environment as a fitting place to unveil his chops. Byrd’s Word is definitely ...

Charlie Byrd: Byrd By the Sea

by Derek Taylor
June 1, 2000

Charlie Byrd was that rarest of birds in the ornithology of music- one who could shape his plumage to fit into virtually any setting. Not content to rest on his laurels as a virtuoso jazz guitarist, Byrd was equally comfortable negotiating a tightly composed classical chart, sculpting a lilting Bossa Nova, strumming out a down-home blues or testing his nimble plectrum on a time-tested pop tune. The fact that he was fortunate enough to jam with guitar maestros as varied ...

Charlie Byrd: For Louis

by Jim Santella
April 1, 2000

Recorded only months before he passed away last year, Charlie Byrd’s final recording project was a tribute to Louis Armstrong. Joe Wilder sits in to represent the lyrical side of Armstrong’s sound, holding on to the natural phrasing that has influenced nearly every jazz trumpeter since. Byrd’s nylon string classical acoustic guitar and Wilder’s mellow tone blend perfectly alongside a veteran piano trio.

Saxophonist Steve Wilson starts off the session with a soprano saxophone characterization of Sidney Bechet on “Petite ...