Larry Willis
Larry Willis (Lawrence Elliott Willis, New York City, NY, USA, December 20,… Read Full Bio ↴Larry Willis (Lawrence Elliott Willis, New York City, NY, USA, December 20, 1940 - September 29, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He has performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro Cuban Jazz, bebop and avant-garde.
Willis was born in New York City. After his first year studying music theory at the Manhattan School of Music he began performing regularly with Jackie McLean. After he graduated he made his first jazz recording, McLean's Right Now! in January 1965, which featured two of Willis' compositions. His first recording of any type, however, was as a singer with the Music and Arts Chorale Ensemble, performing an opera by Aaron Copland under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. He decided to concentrate on jazz because of the difficulties African American musicians had in finding work in concert music.
Throughout his career he has performed with a wide range of musicians, including several years as keyboardist for Blood, Sweat & Tears (beginning in 1972). He spent several years as pianist for Nat Adderley, as well as long and productive tenures with Roy Hargrove and with Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band. His latest recording with Paul Murphy, Exposé, demonstrated the fusion principles of bebop and avant-garde jazz. His composition "Sanctuary" began exploring works employing strings. After a successful performance in Frank Lloyd Wright's Annie Pfieffer Chapel at Florida Southern College's Child of the Sun Jazz Festival he was commissioned to write a full scale orchestral work for jazz trio and orchestra. He received the Don Redman award in 2011, and the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University in 2012.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
A New Kind of Soul (LLP, 1970)
Inner Crisis (Groove Merchant, 1973)
My Funny Valentine (Jazz City, 1988)
Just in Time (SteepleChase, 1989)
Heavy Blue (SteepleChase, 1990)
Let's Play (SteepleChase, 1991)
Steal Away (AudioQuest, 1991 1992)[2]
Solo Spirit (Mapleshade, 1992, [1993])
How Do You Keep the Music Playing? (SteepleChase, 1992)
Unforgettable: Piano Solos, (SteepleChase, 1992)
A Tribute to Someone (AudioQuest, 1993 [1994])
Serenade (Sound Hills, 1995)
If Trees Could Talk (Mapleshade, 1999) with Hamiet Bluiett
Sunshower (Mapleshade, 2001) with Kash Killion, Steve Novosel, Paul Murphy, Steve Berrios
Sanctuary (Mapleshade, 2003) with Joe Ford, Ray Codrington, Steve Novosel, Steve Berrios, Artie Sherman and the Rick Schmidt Strings
The Powers of Two (Mapleshade, 2004) with Paul Murphy
The Powers of Two, Volume 2 (Mapleshade, 2004 [2006]) with Paul Murphy
Alter Ego (Mapleshade, 2006) with Tony Pancella
The Big Push (HighNote, 2006)
Blue Fable (HighNote, 2007)
The Offering (HighNote, 2008)
This Time the Dream's on Me (HighNote, 2012)
As sideman
With Nat Adderley
On the Move (Theresa, 1983)
Blue Autumn (Theresa, 1983)
With Gary Bartz
Episode One: Children of Harlem (Challenge, 1994)
With Cindy Blackman
Arcane (Muse, 1987)
With Carla Bley
Night-Glo (Watt/ECM, 1985)
Sextet (Watt/ECM, 1987)
With Blood, Sweat, and Tears
New Blood (Columbia, 1972)
With Louis Hayes
Nightfall (SteepleChase, 1991)
With Jimmy Heath
Peer Pleasure (Landmark, 1987)
With Joe Henderson
Multiple (Milestone, 1973)
With Groove Holmes
American Pie (Groove Merchant, 1972)
With Clifford Jordan
The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan (Mapleshade, 1989-91 [1997])
With Robin Kenyatta
Gypsy Man (Atlantic, 1973)
With Hugh Masekela
Grrr (uncredited) (1966)
Reconstruction (1970)
Home Is Where the Music Is (1978)
Main Event Live (1978)
Almost Like Being in Jazz (2005)
Friends (2012)
With Jackie McLean
Right Now! (Blue Note, 1965)
Jacknife (Blue Note, 1965)
With Carmen McRae
Carmen Sings Monk (1988)
With Lee Morgan
Infinity (Blue Note, 1965)
With Alphonse Mouzon
The Essence of Mystery (Blue Note, 1972)
With David "Fathead" Newman
Still Hard Times (Muse, 1982)
With Valery Ponomarev
Trip to Moscow (Reservoir, 1987)
With Woody Shaw
For Sure! (Columbia, 1979)
With Steve Swallow
Carla (Xtra Watt, 1987)
With Buddy Terry
Lean on Him (Mainstream, 1973)
With Norris Turney
Big, Sweet 'n Blue – with Turney, Walter Booker, and Jimmy Cobb (Mapleshade, 1993)
With Fred Lipsius
Dreaming of Your Love (mja Records,1995)
With C. I. Williams
When Alto Was King (Mapleshade, 1997)
As co-leader
With Heads of State
Search for Peace – with Buster Williams, Al Foster, and Gary Bartz (Smoke Sessions, 2015)
Willis was born in New York City. After his first year studying music theory at the Manhattan School of Music he began performing regularly with Jackie McLean. After he graduated he made his first jazz recording, McLean's Right Now! in January 1965, which featured two of Willis' compositions. His first recording of any type, however, was as a singer with the Music and Arts Chorale Ensemble, performing an opera by Aaron Copland under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. He decided to concentrate on jazz because of the difficulties African American musicians had in finding work in concert music.
Throughout his career he has performed with a wide range of musicians, including several years as keyboardist for Blood, Sweat & Tears (beginning in 1972). He spent several years as pianist for Nat Adderley, as well as long and productive tenures with Roy Hargrove and with Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band. His latest recording with Paul Murphy, Exposé, demonstrated the fusion principles of bebop and avant-garde jazz. His composition "Sanctuary" began exploring works employing strings. After a successful performance in Frank Lloyd Wright's Annie Pfieffer Chapel at Florida Southern College's Child of the Sun Jazz Festival he was commissioned to write a full scale orchestral work for jazz trio and orchestra. He received the Don Redman award in 2011, and the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University in 2012.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
A New Kind of Soul (LLP, 1970)
Inner Crisis (Groove Merchant, 1973)
My Funny Valentine (Jazz City, 1988)
Just in Time (SteepleChase, 1989)
Heavy Blue (SteepleChase, 1990)
Let's Play (SteepleChase, 1991)
Steal Away (AudioQuest, 1991 1992)[2]
Solo Spirit (Mapleshade, 1992, [1993])
How Do You Keep the Music Playing? (SteepleChase, 1992)
Unforgettable: Piano Solos, (SteepleChase, 1992)
A Tribute to Someone (AudioQuest, 1993 [1994])
Serenade (Sound Hills, 1995)
If Trees Could Talk (Mapleshade, 1999) with Hamiet Bluiett
Sunshower (Mapleshade, 2001) with Kash Killion, Steve Novosel, Paul Murphy, Steve Berrios
Sanctuary (Mapleshade, 2003) with Joe Ford, Ray Codrington, Steve Novosel, Steve Berrios, Artie Sherman and the Rick Schmidt Strings
The Powers of Two (Mapleshade, 2004) with Paul Murphy
The Powers of Two, Volume 2 (Mapleshade, 2004 [2006]) with Paul Murphy
Alter Ego (Mapleshade, 2006) with Tony Pancella
The Big Push (HighNote, 2006)
Blue Fable (HighNote, 2007)
The Offering (HighNote, 2008)
This Time the Dream's on Me (HighNote, 2012)
As sideman
With Nat Adderley
On the Move (Theresa, 1983)
Blue Autumn (Theresa, 1983)
With Gary Bartz
Episode One: Children of Harlem (Challenge, 1994)
With Cindy Blackman
Arcane (Muse, 1987)
With Carla Bley
Night-Glo (Watt/ECM, 1985)
Sextet (Watt/ECM, 1987)
With Blood, Sweat, and Tears
New Blood (Columbia, 1972)
With Louis Hayes
Nightfall (SteepleChase, 1991)
With Jimmy Heath
Peer Pleasure (Landmark, 1987)
With Joe Henderson
Multiple (Milestone, 1973)
With Groove Holmes
American Pie (Groove Merchant, 1972)
With Clifford Jordan
The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan (Mapleshade, 1989-91 [1997])
With Robin Kenyatta
Gypsy Man (Atlantic, 1973)
With Hugh Masekela
Grrr (uncredited) (1966)
Reconstruction (1970)
Home Is Where the Music Is (1978)
Main Event Live (1978)
Almost Like Being in Jazz (2005)
Friends (2012)
With Jackie McLean
Right Now! (Blue Note, 1965)
Jacknife (Blue Note, 1965)
With Carmen McRae
Carmen Sings Monk (1988)
With Lee Morgan
Infinity (Blue Note, 1965)
With Alphonse Mouzon
The Essence of Mystery (Blue Note, 1972)
With David "Fathead" Newman
Still Hard Times (Muse, 1982)
With Valery Ponomarev
Trip to Moscow (Reservoir, 1987)
With Woody Shaw
For Sure! (Columbia, 1979)
With Steve Swallow
Carla (Xtra Watt, 1987)
With Buddy Terry
Lean on Him (Mainstream, 1973)
With Norris Turney
Big, Sweet 'n Blue – with Turney, Walter Booker, and Jimmy Cobb (Mapleshade, 1993)
With Fred Lipsius
Dreaming of Your Love (mja Records,1995)
With C. I. Williams
When Alto Was King (Mapleshade, 1997)
As co-leader
With Heads of State
Search for Peace – with Buster Williams, Al Foster, and Gary Bartz (Smoke Sessions, 2015)
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