Chris Byars
Chris Byars was born in New York City on Nov. 2, 1970 into a family of Juilliard-trained musicians. The artistic resources of NYC were made accessible to the youngster, who soon found himself in musical situations with the top talents of the world. Throughout his childhood, he was granted private study with the great teachers in the area, devoting much effort to learning drums, voice, saxophone, musicianship and ballet technique. From age 6 to 14, Chris enjoyed a successful career as an opera singer, performing, touring, and appearing on television with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and New York City Ballet. At age 14 he devoted himself exclusively to the idiom of jazz.
In the next ten years Byars undertook a period of apprenticeship that transformed him from a jazz novice into a fully functioning jazz composer, arranger and multi- instrumentalist. A Bachelor's and Master's Degree were earned from Manhattan School of Music, but perhaps the most impact was gained by 2 years of intensive private study with musicianship guru Helen Jordan.
In 1994 he began a nine-year run of steady engagements at the Greenwich Village “cutting-edge jazz club” Smalls, appearing on average twice weekly with jazz legends Frank Hewitt and Jimmy Lovelace. This decade of late-night gigs saw the birth of two bands: the quintet Across 7 Street (co-led by bassist Ari Roland) and The Chris Byars Octet. Both have recorded with the indie label Smalls Records to great critical acclaim.
Byars has led three recent performance series tributes at Smalls, playing the music of Lucky Thompson (Mar '06), Gigi Gryce (Jan '07) and Jimmy Cleveland (Mar '07). He transcribed, arranged, directed and performed music for these wide-ranging, public examinations of the work of these great jazz heroes.
As a small-group leader, Byars released his first offering, Photos in Black, White and Gray (Smalls Records) in March 2007. Byars is heard on alto, tenor and soprano saxophones, performing exclusively original material. Byars toured Russia and Central Asia on behalf of the U.S. Department of State in April/ May 2007. He presented his award-winning educational program “Basheer's Dream: The Music of Gigi Gryce Returns to the Bronx” with Across 7 Street.
After three summer tours to Russia and Turkmenistan, The Chris Byars Quartet re-configured as a piano-less band, adding John Mosca on trombone. There is a notable shift towards new compositions, challenging counterpoint, increased melodic development and more prominent song structure. The "New" Chris Byars Quartet presented an innovative combination of original music and visual art at the Rubin Museum in October, 2007, premiering the program "Jazz Pictures at an Exhibition of Himalayan Art," ten compositions set to a larger-than-life slideshow.
In February 2008, the Chris Byars Quartet embarked on a 29-day tour to Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Montenegro, and Slovenia as part of the Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad Program, administered by the United States Department of State and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Please check the links page for the tour's website, updated in real time.
Byars is currently working with jazz legend Teddy Charles, the vibraphonist and composer who inspired the 1950s jazz scene of New York to great heights. After a 40 year absence, Teddy Charles re-emerges with the wisdom of yesterday and the ideas of tomorrow. Chris Byars serves as a logistical enabler for this free thinker, providing him a forum for his return to the spotlight; the Chris Byars Quartet assimilates Teddy Charles to form a quintet, at times adding special guest James Byars on double reeds, or pianists Harold Danko or Sacha Perry. By adding a few more metropolitan jazz stars, the Teddy Charles Tentet re-emerges from obscurity as well.
After making a splash with a weeks at the Village Vanguard (March 2008) and Iridium (August 2008), the new Teddy Charles group offers forth a CD in February 2009 entitled "Dances with Bulls" Smalls Records. The hoisting of the sails of the long-dormant Teddy Charles Tentet has also begun; this group that once featured Gigi Gryce, Art Farmer and Jimmy Raney, and the writing of Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, Mal Waldron, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell (and of course, Teddy Charles) is returning to action, boasting new material by Don Sebesky, Chris Byars, Mark Lopeman, and yes, Teddy Charles. Teddy showcases all of these formats, as well as an all-star quartet (w/Hank Jones, Bob Cranshaw and Kenny Washington) in March 2009 four a four-night performance series entitled "Word from Bird," at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York.
In March 2009, Steeplechase Records releases the latest Chris Byars CD entitled "Blue Lights" The Music of Gigi Gryce." James Byars joins the quartet as a special guest oboist on "Sans Souci."
Chris Byars was awarded the Chamber Music America "New Works" composition grant. Commisioned to write a large work, he will premier "Bop-ography" in two locations in 2009: Iridium (3.22) and The Players Theater (6.10). The piece musically portrays the life of Teddy Charles, and also features him alongside the Chris Byars Quartet and special guest James Byars. On March 29th, this piece will be recorded for Steeplechase Records.
Chris Byars lives in the Riverdale section of the Bronx with his very supportive wife, Sarah, and wonderful children Anna (7 years old) and John (3 years old). He loves playing, composing and arranging jazz, watching baseball, buying and looking at Turkmen carpets, and reading up on all the new research into cognitive science, especially where it concerns music!