Jazz Recital - Charlie Byrd

 

Homage To Charlie Christian

Jazz Recital

Featuring The Spanish Guitar Of Charlie Byrd

Supervisor: Ozzie Cadena

Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Savoy Record Co. MG 12099

1957

Personnel:

Tom Newsom - Flute & Tenor Sax

Al Lucas - Bass

Bobby Donaldson - Drums

From the back cover: Charlie Byrd was born in 1925 in Suffolk, Virginia. Began playing at age 10 under the tutelage of his father and played with local bands during his high school and Virginia Polytechnic Institute college days. During World War II he served in the 424 A.S.F. Band touring Europe, and settled in New York after his discharge. He played with Sol Yaged, Barbara Carroll, Joe Marsala and Freddie Slack group until late 1949 when he became interested in the classical guitar.

After his marriage in 1950, Charlie moved to Washington D.C., his current home, to devote full time to study of classical technique and has been teaching there and performing in concerts and on club dates since then. After taking an audition with the great Andres Segovia in New York, Charlie was invited to spend the summer of 1954 in Sienna, Italy, studying with the Master. Charlie has played in recitals in Washington and other eastern cities since then and has received excellent reviews from area critics for all. In addition, several of his compositions have been utilized in the modern dance idiom. His "Theme From Hamlet" received critical acclaim, and Byrd's work inspired Katherine Dunham to call him up from Washington for her Broadway opening last season. Another selection was prepared for Danny Kaye and will be used on future shows.

Let's quote Charlie Byrd on what he is trying to do with the Spanish guitar: "I'd like to see the guitarists of today using more of the vast store of knowledge that has been piled up by the great lute players and guitarists of the past 400 years. Men like Dowland, Milan and Weiss wrote and played very complicated things that have not been surpassed to this very day! The Pick technique of the guitar allows rapid scale type passages and a sharp attack for rhythm, but doesn't have nearly as much variety and beauty as the Finger Technique. Finger playing on the unamplified Spanish guitar shows the delicate tonal colors of the guitar, which is its strongest feature!"

"Without taking any credit from the great jazz guitarists of today, WHY must the guitar be confined to single line playing and rhythm accompaniment. I first had to develop the finger classical style technique before I could use it as I have on this album to play jazz.

If my guitar is going to take an important place as a solo instrument, it MUST be broadened! Leave the sax sound to the sax and PLAY the guitar! Its capabilities were proven centuries ago." – H. Alan Stein

From Billboard - May 13, 1957: Title, to a degree, is a misnomer. This is not jazz in the salable or pure sense. However, package has much charm derived from Byrd's unamplified, unaccompanied playing on ballads. He touches on some of the less obvious, compelling tonal aspects by using classical finger style on his Spanish guitar. Byrd turns to electric guitar and more standard jazz approach on two tunes. LP is not likely to reach a wide audience.

Prelude

My Funny Valentine

Little Girl Blue

My Heart Stood Still

Interlude

Spring Is Here

A Foggy Day

Spanish Guitar Blues

Chuck-A-Tuck

Homage To Charlie Chirstian