Written by Byron Lyles

Music has always been a major part of my life. I was raised with a heavy dose of blues and gospel.

As a teen in Detroit, I discovered the Paradise Theater located on Woodward Avenue and Orchestra Place. It was there that I saw: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Cab Calloway, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, Billy Eckstein and his All-stars and Buddy Johnson and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I had the pleasure of seeing them all perform numerous times over the years.

In 1950, I enlisted in the Army and became a member of the 82nd Airborne Division Provisional Band (which was the black band since the military was still segregated at that time). My instruments of choice at that time were french horn and trumpet. In 1953, I received and honorable discharge and began working with the Charlie Young American Legion Drum Corp upon returning home. I played with them through 1955.  Since then, I have continued playing with a variety of bands, doing mostly free lance gigs around the country as a member of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 5 in Detroit and Local 802 in Los Angeles. In 1995, I began teaching myself songs on the piano and developed a sufficient amount of finger control. All I wanted to do was learn enough to write music. I knew basic theory and harmony and how to transpose music. Though I really don't think of myself as a piano player, that's all I've been playing for the past two years. 

I have also been fortunate enough to see many of the most influential jazz players in small intimate settings over the years, too. The greatest of the great performers like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Waddell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday. In short, I have been truly blessed with a well-rounded jazz education that continues to grow. I believe that " Love is music and music is love" and I hope to convey that to my Crystal Jazz audience on Monday evenings. 

Thanks for listening, 
Byron

Byron Lyles' Crystal Jazz program can be heard on Monday nights from 7:00-9:00 on WLNZ.