Late Night Jazz: Byerself

Despite its moniker, byerself is much more than your typical solo project. It is an active collaboration between Minneapolis’ finest musicians, artists, dancers, and videographers.

The project started in 2013, when Greg Byers started performing solo shows using only his voice, electric cello, and laptop. After the launch of a self-titled EP, byerself was put on hold when Greg started a new job as bassist with an internationally touring jazz/blues band. Greg used this opportunity to springboard his music career, resulting in many notable performances and recording sessions. Yet, he found himself pining for a meaningful outlet for his creativity; a way for his music to positively impact the community of musicians, artists, and patrons that had grown around him.

Emboldened, Greg repurposed byerself to best address these musical goals. In its current iteration, Greg teams up with jazz piano virtuoso Javier Santiago and percussion savant Arthur “LA” Buckner to defy the norms of your typical jazz trio. Untethered by tradition, byerself uses its platform to make bold artistic statements that capture and respond to the sociopolitical and environmental issues defining our era.