Chris Byars Octet

Chris Byars is a jazz saxophonist heard in New York City rooms like Smalls Jazz Club, where his sets lean into the close listening the space encourages. He began performing early as a child opera singer, a background that still shows in his attention to line and breath.

Chris Byars Septet is a New York City–based jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Chris Byars, who began his musical training as a child opera singer before moving into improvising traditions. The group is heard at Smalls Jazz Club, where the room’s close acoustics bring small shifts in rhythm, breath, and articulation into focus.