Rest In Peace! Legendary Jazz Musician Donald Byrd Dead At 80 (PHOTOS x VIDEO)

Posted February 7, 2013 by Christina Coleman for Global Grind Staff

Legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd passed away on Feb. 4, his nephew confirmed today.

There is no exact word on how the jazz music aficionado died.

DETAILS: Rest In Peace! Former NY Mayor Ed Koch Dead At 88!

Byrd's nephew, musician Alex Bugnon, took to Facebook to confirm the rumors of death, which had been circulating for several days.

"I have no more patience for this unnecessary shroud of secrecy placed over his death by certain members of his immediate family," read Bugnon's post.

While Byrd was a product of jazz music, his influence on hip-hop is undeniable. Rappers and musicians have sampled his music heavily over the years.

Large Professor flipped Byrd's "Think Twice" for Main Source's hit "Looking At The Front Door" and so did Q-Tip/A Tribe Called Quest for "Footprints."

But what Byrd is most known for is his great work recorded for the legendary Blue Note Records. In the '70s, his collaborations with the Mizell Brothers resulted in jazz-tinged R&B, which made for some funky albums like 1975's Places & Spaces.

The aforementioned contains heavily sampled records like "Wind Parade" (Black Moon "Buck Em Down," Organized Konfusion "Stray Bullet") and "Dominoes" (DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince "Brand New Funk").

Byrd will be greatly missed.