Byron Berry The colorful tale of this excellent Bay Area trumpet player is yet to be told.
A Burt Bales pick-up band, 1959 L to R: Joe Darensbourg (clarinet), Bales (piano), Berry, Cuz Cousineau (drums), Ernie Figueroa (bass), Jerry Butzen (trombone), probably at Pier 23.
This was recorded at a popular little bar in Berkeley by Dave Greer who has made it available; this is first publication.
With
the exception of Oxtot, all these performers are badly
under-represented on disc. This archival performance tape is quite
listenable, despite technical flaws.
NODS BAR May 19, 1960, Berkeley, CA Byron Berry (trumpet) Frank Chace (clarinet) Jerry Butzen (trombone) Bill Erickson (piano) Dick Oxtot (banjo) bass unknown
Berry at “The Ordinary,” Fall 1974 L to R: Bill Bardin (trombone) P.T. Stanton (cornet) Byron Berry (trumpet) Walter Yost (tuba) not visible: Dick Oxtot, banjo Terry Garthwaite, vocal
(Photo by Joy Berry, courtesy of Mili Rosenblatt-Bardin)
ARCHIVE MUSIC
Like the items above, this JAZZ RHYHTM exclusive was recorded at Nod's bar in Berkeley by Dave Greer.
ARCHIVE MUSIC Piano Player Joe Sullivan's band at the Tin Angel, 1961
Joe
Sullivan was dwelling in besotted obscurity in San Francisco during the
1950s and ‘60s. But he still ‘had it’ when playing a residency at the
Tin Angel on the Frisco waterfront in 1961 or ‘62. Bob Mielke told
biographer Jim Goggin that working with him in “a red-hot band . . . was a delight.”
Never
previously published or posted, these tracks seem to have been recorded
at the Tin Angel. Backing Joe’s magnificent keyboard artistry were Byron Berry, Pete Allen (bass) and drummer Bob Osibin who worked
there when Kid Ory ran that club as On the Levee. The bold and luminous clarinet lines of little-known San Francisco native Vince Cattolica are thrilling.
“The Fabulous Byron Berry – Pier 23 Polecats, April 11, 1960" "Recording
by Jack Stratford, initiated by Grayson ‘Ken’ Mills. Recorded zon
Wollensack tape recorder with stock microphone. Personnel identified by
Jerry Stanton.”
Byron Berry (trumpet) Bill Napier (clarinet) Bob Mielke (trombone) Bill Erickson (piano) Dick Oxtot (banjo) Al Conger (bass)
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