Byard moved to New York City in the early 1960s. His first recording as a leader, the solo piano "Blues for Smoke", was recorded there on December 16, 1960 (but not released in the United States until 1988). Also in 1960, Byard first played with the bassist Charles Mingus. He recorded extensively with Mingus in the period 1962–64 (including on the important albums on Impulse! Records – "Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus" and "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady"), and toured Europe with him in 1964. Byard also made recordings as a sideman between 1960 and 1966 with Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Roland Kirk, and Rivers. His performance on Dolphy's "Outward Bound" put Byard at the forefront of modern jazz.