BIOGRAPHY
West Byrd, a native of Alabama, started his musical journey at the age of five. Jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Miles Davis have been major influences in his development as a musician.
West has been in the industry for over 15 years as a musician, musical director, composer, producer and clinician. He has worked with many artist in various genres such as Sheila E, Nathan East, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne, Chante Moore, Taylor Hicks, Kenny Lattimore, Lee Ritenour, Chuck Loeb, and Kirk Whalum to name a few.
In addition to being a force in the music industry, West has also showcased his talents in the television and film industry as Musical Director/Segment Producer for nContrast, a weekly show aired on BETJ. Production partnerships with Paramount Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros, Dreamworks, and ESPN were also possible under this umbrella.
International travel has been a big part of West's career with trips to Russia, Europe, and several islands in the Caribbean. He is currently the Musical Director for the Barbados Jazz Excursion & Life Luxe Jazz Festival (Los Cabos, Mexico).