Sax about Town

Byas begins to appear at concerts promoted by Timme Rosenkrantz, who continues to advocate “swing” jazz against the advance of bebop. At one of these he performs a duet with bassist Slam Stewart that is so well-received that it is included in the Smithsonian’s Classic Jazz Collection. The folklore that this was a completely spontaneous performance made necessary by the late arrival of other musicians is debunked as apocryphal. Stewart and Byas had in fact rehearsed and played the numbers that they are now justly famous for privately at Timme Rosenkrantz’s apartment. In 1945 he records the song “Laura,” and his rendition of this movie theme is the song that he will be most closely identified with for the rest of his life. He also participates in the early bop jam sessions at Minton’s Playhouse in New York.