Jazz Articles about Greg Byers

About Greg Byers

Interview

Greg Byers does not like hearing that something is not possible. Or perhaps he does, for the cellist seems to thrive on challenges that others deem impossible or unrealistic. Taking a jazz major in cello? It just isn't done, he was told. Well, ticked that box. Learning Charlie Parker's solos on upright bass? Impossible they said. Oh really? At every step of his career, Byers has confounded others' expectations and lived up to his own.

Album Review

Greg Byers: Dear Zbigniew

Read "Dear Zbigniew" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
September 29, 2023

Half a decade in the making, Dear Zbigniew is multi-string instrumentalist Greg Byers' musical letter to Zbigniew Seifert, the Polish violinist who made his name in Tomasz Stanko's quintet in the late '60s/early '70s. Byers' appreciation of Seifert--dubbed the John Coltrane of the violin--came with his participation in the 2018 and 2020 editions of the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition, held in Luslawice, Poland. Byers won the Jazz Jury's Award at the second attempt and was moved to record ...

Live Review

4th Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition

by Ian Patterson
July 19, 2020

4th Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition Cricoteka Museum, Kraków, Poland/Various international locations on-line July 8-10, 2020 When the fanfare and drum roll had died down the big moment arrived. After three days of on-line competition, the six finalists waited anxiously in front of their screens, in Israel, The USA, Austria, France and in Brazil, to hear who would be crowned the winner of the 4th Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition. Ten thousand Euros ...