Donald Byrd

Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. He was known for successfully blending funk and soul with jazz. As a bandleader, he influenced early careers of notable musicians like Herbie Hancock. Born in Detroit to an African-American middle-class family, Byrd's mother introduced him to jazz, and his uncle gave him his first trumpet. He attended Cass Technical High School, performed with Lionel Hampton before graduating, and recorded with the Robert Barnes Sextette in 1949. After serving in the Air Force, he earned degrees from Wayne State University and Manhattan School of Music. Byrd joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers as Clifford Brown's successor while at Manhattan School. In 1955, he played with Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, and Mal Waldron. He left the Jazz Messengers in 1956 to collaborate with John Coltrane, Sonny Rollows, Thelonious Monk, and later Herbie Hancock. From 1958 to 1961, Byrd co-led a quintet with Pepper Adams, recording *At the Half Note Cafe*. His 1961 album *Royal Flush* marked Hancock's Blue Note debut. Byrd mentored Hancock, helping him connect with Mongo Santamaria and Miles Davis. He advised Hancock not to relinquish his publishing rights. In June 1964, Byrd performed with Eric Dolphy in Paris shortly before Dolphy's death. By the late 1960s, Byrd transitioned to jazz fusion, starting with *Fancy Free* (1969). Collaborating with the Mizell Brothers, he released *Black Byrd* (1973), a bestseller for Blue Note. Subsequent albums like *Stepping into ...