Album Notes

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is the first holiday CD from The Eric Byrd Trio. We all grew up watching Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang and their Christmas Special became a household tradition. We also found ourselves snapping along with the swinging sounds of the Vince Guaraldi Trio, as that may have been our first introduction to the classic jazz piano trio format.

In the last several years the EBT have been performing this music for families all over and they've finally recorded their unique and modern approach to these classic songs. The 'hits' are all here: LINUS AND LUCH, CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE, MY LITTLE DRUM and more. If you loved the original, you will truly love this updated version. The CD features the same Trio for the last 10 years - Byrd on piano, Bhagwan Khalsa on bass, Alphonso Young, Jr on drums and special guest Jason Miles Byrd on vocals. Make A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS the new holiday standard in your seasonal listening.

The Eric Byrd Trio is comprised of musicians whose vision is to glorify the age of traditional jazz while providing an energetic and modern approach to standards and original compositions at the same time. As true ambassadors of jazz, the Eric Byrd Trio have performed internationally for crowds of all ages and backgrounds. With 3 studio albums released, the trio has enjoyed immense popularity and recognition from fans and government officials alike. In 2001, they were announced as Kennedy Center/United States State Department Jazz Ambassadors, providing them the opportunity to tour countries like Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Honduras and Trinidad, among others.

In 2008, Eric Byrd and his trio created a 4-piece horn section to record “Brother Ray”, a tribute to the late Ray Charles. With songs that may be unknown to the average person, Eric arranged them in his own way to “not beat Ray at Ray”. The ERIC BYRD TRIO: BROTHER RAY BAND is currently touring in support of this album. In addition to “Brother Ray”, the trio has also released “Triunity” and their self-titled debut “The Eric Byrd Trio”.

The trio performs regularly at jazz venues in and around Washington, DC. Live performances have included appearances at Blues Alley, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Twins and Bohemian Caverns. The Eric Byrd Trio has played at numerous festivals throughout the United States headlining the East Coast Jazz Festival, the ARTScape Festival in Baltimore and The Westminster Flower and Jazz Festival. They also appeared weekly at the Café Milano in Georgetown, playing to guests that included Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie.

Their international touring includes concerts at the Montreux Switzerland Jazz Festival, multiple tours of La Paz, Bolivia and Lima, Peru, an appearance at a world music festival in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the country of Estonia and a 2 week Fall 2009 tour of Italy has recently been completed.