In 1982, Tate moved to New York City, where he developed friendships with other musicians, including James "Blood" Ulmer and Vernon Reid.
Shortly after creating the samchillian, Gruenbaum met the guitarist Vernon Reid of Living Colour/Ronald Shannon Jackson And The Decoding Society fame, and began gigging in earnest on the new instrument, playing it with Reid’s Masques around New York and in European jazz festivals.
Mount Vernon | J. Vernon McGee | Vernon | Harry Reid | Vernon, British Columbia | Wallace Reid | Mike Reid | Andy Reid | Vernon Reid | Terry Reid | Richard Vernon | Lord Reid | Edward Vernon | Richard Reid | Reid Hoffman | Beryl Reid | Rufus Reid | Reid Ewing | Jamie Reid | Vernon Corea | Richard Reid (shoe bomber) | Pat Reid | Mount Vernon, Ohio | Mike Reid (actor) | L.A. Reid | Walter Liberty Vernon | Vernon, Eure | Vernon, California | St John the Baptist Church, Reid | John Vernon |
As a charter member of the Soundlab happenings, Byzar played sets with Vernon Reid, Alec Empire, DJ Krush.
Since then, he has worked with many other artists, a large proportion from outside the hip hop genre, including Public Enemy, Mindless Self Indulgence, Matisyahu, Squarepusher, The X-Ecutioners, Regina Belle, The Gap Band, Maxwell, Angie Stone, Stevie Wonder, Vernon Reid, GEN.EX, D.A. Smart and Take 6.
Her second album, The Now, released May 10, 2005, features contributions from guest artists Norah Jones, Salim Merchant, Vernon Reid, actor/singer Antonio Banderas, and Niladri Kumar.
Currently, Leon continues to play with Vernon Reid, James Blood Ulmer, and leads his own band Genes and Machines with an album scheduled for release in 2011.