Friday, Oct. 29; Outpost Performance Space (all ages, 8 p.m.): Clarinetist Don Byron got his musical start thanks to instructions from his childhood doctor, who had diagnosed the Brooklyn-born youth with asthma and recommended that he take up a wind instrument for therapy's sake. It wasn't long before a young Byron was excelling on the instrument and absorbing the sounds of his neighborhood, which boasted a large Jewish population. It's no surprise, then, that Byron first came to notoriety as a Klezmer musician. And ever since those early days of his career, Byron has taken special care to absorb, adopt and/or adapt to any number of musical styles.
In fact, it's difficult to find two Don Byron albums that sound at all stylistically similar. And that's his great gift; the source of his appeal above and beyond the fact that he's one of the most lyrical clarinetists working today. His 2004 release, Ivey-Divey (Blue Note) covers Gershwin and Miles Davis, as well as a handful of Byron originals with character and grace. Tonight's trio includes pianist Jason Moran, who appears on the record, alongside drummer Billy Hart.
Tickets are $20 general, $15 Outpost members. Call 268-0044 for more information.
