On June 9, Byas and Slam Stewart played a live duet at The Town Hall. On January 4, 1945, Byas recorded with Clyde Hart, singer Rubberlegs Williams, Gillespie, Parker, Trummy Young, and on January 9, 1945, Gillespie, Byas and Young recorded "Be Bop", "Salt Peanuts", and "Good Bait" for Manor.
After recording for a number of small labels (Savoy, Jamboree, National, Disc, Arista, Super, American, Hub, Gotham) in this period, Byas had a major hit with "Laura" by David Raksin, the title tune of Otto Preminger's movie of the same name (1944).
In May 1944, he shared tenor duties with Hawkins in the latter's Sax Ensemble, as well as leading his own band on performances at the Three Deuces club. He recorded with the latter under Hawkins on what is said to be the first bebop issue, "Woody 'n You", on February 16 and 22, 1944. He played in small bands in New York clubs, including the Coleman Hawkins orchestra (1944), and he associated with beboppers such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, George Wallington, Oscar Pettiford and Max Roach at the Onyx Club from early 1944. He stayed with Basie until November 1943. In August 1942, the band went to Hollywood record for the film Reveille with Beverly, to be followed by another film, Stage Door Canteen, in February 1943. He was part of a small group session on Jwith Buck Clayton, Count Basie, and his rhythm section (Freddie Green, Walter Page, Jo Jones) recording "Royal Garden Blues" and "Sugar Blues". Byas recorded "Harvard Blues" with the Basie orchestra on Novemon Jimmy Rushing's vocal version of George Frazier's tune. In early 1941, after a short stay with Paul Bascomb, he had his big break when Count Basie chose him to succeed the post of Lester Young in his big band. In 1941 at Minton's Playhouse he played with Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and Kenny Clarke in after hours sessions. He participated in sessions with the pianist Pete Johnson, trumpeter Hot Lips Page, and singer Big Joe Turner. In September 1940, he had an eight bar solo on "Practice Makes Perfect", recorded by Billie Holiday. He spent about a year in Andy Kirk’s band, recording with him between March 1939 and January 1940, including a short solo on "You Set Me on Fire". He played with the bands of such leaders as Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, Edgar Hayes and Benny Carter. He recorded his first solo record in May 1939: "Is This to Be My Souvenir?" with Timme Rosenkrantz and his Barrelhouse Barons for Victor.
He had a brief stint with arranger Don Redman's band in 1938 and later in 1939-1940. In 1937, Byas moved to New York to work with the Eddie Mallory band, accompanying Mallory's wife, the singer Ethel Waters, on tour, and at the Cotton Club. He also played with Buck Clayton, Lorenzo Flennoy and Charlie Echols. He worked in Lionel Hampton's band at the Paradise Club in 1935 along with the reed player and arranger Eddie Barefield and trombonist Tyree Glenn. In 1933, he took part in a West coast tour of Bert Johnson's Sharps and Flats. He founded and led his own college band, Don Carlos and His Collegiate Ramblers, during 1931-32, at Langston College, Oklahoma.īyas switched to the tenor saxophone after he moved to the West Coast and played with several Los Angeles bands. Byas started playing in local orchestras at the age of 17, with Bennie Moten, Terrence Holder and Walter Page.
Byas started his training in classical music, learning to play violin, clarinet and alto saxophone, which he played until the end of the 1920s.īenny Carter, who played many instruments, was his idol at this time. His mother played the piano, and his father, the clarinet.