Overview
Ed Byrne (born December 30, 1946) is an American jazz trombonist, composer,arranger, educator, and author known for his great trombone sonic fingerprint and his distinctively original compositions. After several years as a full time faculty member of Berklee College, Ed moved to NYC where he has been performing and recording for decades with many of the world’s most critically-acclaimed jazz, Latin jazz, salsa, and soul artists, including Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Eddie Palmieri, The Fania All Stars, Buddy Rich, Manu Dibango, James Brown, Tito Puente, Archie Shepp, Maynard Ferguson—and scores of others.Ed played trombone on Eddie Palmieri’s Grammy Award-winning Unfinished Masterpiece in 1974. A pioneer in Latin jazz, Ed was nominated Best Trombone Soloist by Latin New York. With the release of Bobby's Paunetto's Point, on which Ed's composition, Fenway Funk, was nominated for a Grammy in 1976. And Ed’s solo on There Will Be Another You on the Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker album Carnegie Hall Concert is considered by many as one of jazz’s most swinging jazz trombone solos. Byrne earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (DMA) in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Dr. Byrne then authored and self-published the 17-book Linear Jazz Improvisation, to this day a world-wide best-selling method for all instruments.
In addition to his extensive studio work in NYC (some 62 albums, many as a featured soloist), Ed has led his own bands, most recently his Latin Jazz Evolution which performed at jazz festivals following the release of his album, Conquistador. Ed’s first album as leader, Two Shades of Blue, was recorded in NYC with a stellar group comprised of guitarist John Abercrombie, pianist Jim McNeely, bassist Ron McClure, drummer Victor Lewis, Latin percussionist Milton Cardona, and Ed on trombone. This studio recording was later combined with the best of a live quartet performance at Skullers in Cambridge, MA in 1995 featuring Ed, Mick Goodrick on guitar, bassist John Lockwood, and drummer Bob Gulotti. Dr. Ed Byrne currently performs with his world-class quartet, which features Ed's trombone over a platform of his intense compositions.