Donald Byrd

Education and art have always been intertwined for Donald Byrd. As scholar and as teacher, Byrd has kept jazz tradition alive and vital. "Back when I was going to college and graduate school, all the musicians asked me, 'Why the hell are you messing with
this stuff. You don't need that, you can play.' But my father had a doctorate in theology and I learned from him. I knew the importance of education." -Donald Byrd
A lifelong student and teacher, Donald Byrd has a large and still-growing resume of academic accomplishments, including a Doctorate in Music Education earned from Columbia University.
Byrd's career as educator dates back to the 195Os, as does his development an influential player. A pioneer among those who sought to establish "the art of teaching jazz," Byrd was instrumental in creating and furthering university-level jazz programs in this country. Perhaps Byrd's most visible post was as chairman of Afro-American Studies at Howard
University. While teaching at Howard University in the '7Os, Byrd's,performing and teaching lives merged in famous fashion. As he tells it, "These days, Howard is known for jazz. But back then, if you got caught playing jazz, the administration would throw you out of the fine arts building. "Byrd formed a group among his Howard students, in an effort to focus attention on black, be it jazz or funk or anything in-between. "1 had five students," Byrd laughs, "so that's what I used. Dubbed the Blackbyrds, the quintet quickly became one of the top-selling contemporary bands. Byrd also started the now-influential jazz program at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and has been influential in similar programs at North Carolina University and the New School for Social Research. More recently, Byrd has served as acting head of the Afro- American/Jazz Studies department at the renowned Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Byrd's other notable and varied academic achievements include: study in France with the legendary music teacher Nadia Boulanger; key advisory and consultant posts with the Music Program of the National Endowment for the Arts; and recognition as a major collector and supporter of African-American visual artists. Many of the works of art in Byrd's collection-which tours regularly-can be seen on the album covers of his recordings. "The pioneering work of Dr. Donald Byrd has provided a rich legacy of jazz music for our youth to learn from, build on and carry forth into the twenty-first century."
---------from the proceedings of the lO3rd U.S. Congress, in Tribute to Donald Byrd