Chris Byars

Chris Byars plays alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet, piano and conga drums, and arranges/composes jazz. He leads the Chris Byars Octet and a quartet that headlines under his own name. He co-leads the long-running quintet Across 7 Street with bassist Ari Roland. As a sideman he appears with Teddy Charles, the John Pizzarelli Big Band, the Ari Roland Quartet, the Lapis Luna Orchestra, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Neal Miner Sextet.
On March 11th, 2008, Chris Byars celebrates the release of "Jazz Pictures at an Exhibition of Himalayan Art" (Smalls Records).
Having recently completed a 29-day tour for the U.S. State Department, the Chris Byars Quartet is planning a return to Cyprus. If you'd like to visit the State Department tour site please go to http://web.mac.com/chrisbyars/AMA2008/Welcome.html
With special guests Sacha Perry and James Byars, the band recently recorded for Steeplechase Records, featuring mostly tunes by Gigi Gryce.
In Fall 2008, the Chris Byars Quartet will present Bronx Jazz Series, 18 educational events that cover a variety of musical themes and concepts. To Find out more about this, please visit http://web.mac.com/chrisbyars/Bronx_Jazz_Series/Summary.html and come to the shows if you can!
Chris lives in the Riverdale section of the Bronx with his wife, Sarah, and two children, Anna and John.