[Dixielandjazz] Jaki Byard was Jazz Amputees

[Stephen Barbone]

Rob McCallum asked:

"BTW, does anyone know the circumstances surrounding pianist Jaki
Byard's murder?  Was this a random incident or was there something more
going on? That's still fairly recent news (within the past couple of
years).  I believe he was from Philadelphia (maybe Steve has some more
info)."

Hi Rob & List mates:

I think Jaki Byard was from the Boston area. In 1999 he was preparing to
go the the Berkelee College of Music in Massachusetts to be a Jazz
"Artist In Residence" there. He was living in Queens County, New York
City at the time. He was found shot dead inside his home sometime during
that year, No gun was ever found, no motives discovered, no witnesses. I
think today it is still an unsolved mystery. He was 75 or 76 years old
in 1999.

Queens County, one of the five counties in New York City was home to
lots of jazz musicians at one time or another. In addition to Byard,
there was Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Hank D'Amico, Sarah Vaughn,
and a host of other giants. As well as many jazz midgets including me.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone