Bill Crow
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| Bill Crow | |
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photo by Judy Kirtley
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 27, 1927 Othello, Washington |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, author |
| Instruments | Bass, tuba |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Labels | Venus |
| Associated acts | Gerry Mulligan |
Bill Crow (born December 27, 1927) is an American jazz bassist.[1] Among other work, Crow is noted for his longtime partnership with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan in the 1950s and '60s.
Contents
Biography[edit]
Crow was born in Othello, Washington but spent his childhood in Kirkland, Washington. In fourth grade, he took up the trumpet.[1]After high school, he briefly played sousaphone at the University of Washington in Seattle. When he joined the Army in 1946, he played baritone horn, trombone, and drums in the band until 1949. After leaving the Army, he returned to the University of Washington and played in a jazz quartet after hours. He played trombone with orchestras in Seattle.[1]
In January 1950, Crow moved to New York City, briefly studied valve trombone with Lennie Tristano, and met many New York musicians and artists. He bought an old Kay bass and taught himself to play what would become his primary instrument. In 1953 he purchased an old French bass which has been his jazz voice until the present. In 1975 he returned to playing a brass instrument, the tuba, for the first time in twenty-five years, doubling with string bass on several Broadway shows, including Boccaccio, Rogers & Hart, the King and I, the Grand Tour, Morrisey Hall, On the Twentieth Century, and 42nd Street.
He joined Gerry Mulligan's groups as a bassist during the mid to late 1950s.[1] He has played bands led by Mike Riley, John Benson Brooks, Teddy Charles, Stan Getz, Al Haig, Claude Thornhill, Terry Gibbs, Don Elliot, Jerry Wald, Marian McPartland, Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall, Gerry Mulligan,[1] Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer & Clark Terry, Roger Kellaway, Quincy Jones, Benny Goodman, Eddie Condon, Walter Norris, Peter Duchin, Marty Napoleon, Chris Griffin, Gene DiNovi, Doug Proper, Joe Beck, Lou Caputo, Art Baron, Phil Woods, and Carmen Leggio. He plays frequently with pianist Hiroshi Yamazaki as well as trumpeter Ryo Sasaki.
Crow self-produced a trio album with Hiroshi Yamazaki and John Cutrone titled Embraceable You and another with guitarist Armand Hirsch titled Bill Crow Sings.
He wrote a book called Jazz Anecdotes. (Oxford University Press, 1991).[1] and a more autobiographical book "'From Birdland to Broadway'" (Oxford University Press, 1993)
Discography[edit]
As leader[edit]
- From Birdland to Broadway (Venus, 1995, 2002)
- Jazz Anecdotes (Venus, 1996)
As sideman[edit]
With Gerry Mulligan
- Recorded in Boston at Storyville (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
- Mainstream of Jazz (EmArcy, 1956)
- Annie Ross Sings a Song with Mulligan! (World Pacific, 1958)
- The New Gerry Mulligan Quartet (1959)
- What Is There to Say? (1959)
- Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard (Verve, 1960)
- Gerry Mulligan Presents a Concert in Jazz (Verve, 1961)
- Holliday with Mulligan (DRG, 1961 [1980]) with Judy Holliday
- The Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Verve, 1962)
- Gerry Mulligan '63 (Verve, 1963)
- Night Lights (Philips, 1963)
- Spring Is Sprung (Philips, 1962)
- Butterfly with Hiccups (Limelight, 1964)
- New York (December 1960), 1989
- Moonlight in Vermont, 1991
- Double Exposure, 1992
- Jazz 'Round Midnight, 1992
- Newport Jazz Festival: Mulligan in the Main, Vol. 2, 1992
- News from Blueport, 1996
With Stan Getz
- Stan Getz Plays (Norgran, 1954)
- West Coast Jazz, 1955
- The Sound, 1956
- Stan Getz and the Cool Sounds (Verve, 1953–55, [1957])
- Stella by Starlight, 1993
- Sweetie Pie, 1993
- A Life in Jazz: A Musical Biography, 1996
- Yesterdays: Stan Getz Plays the Standards, 2004
- Getz for Lovers, 2002
- Music for Lovers, 2006
- Body and Soul (Universal/Verve, 2006)
with Zoot Sims
- Either Way (Fred Miles Presents, 1961)
- Suitably Zoot 1965
- At the Half Note, 2000
- At the Half Note Again, 2006
With Bob Brookmeyer
- Whooeeee (Storyville, 1956)
- The Street Swingers (World Pacific, 1957)
- 7 x Wilder (Verve, 1961)
- Tonight (Mainstream, 1965)
With Al Cohn
- Jazz Mission to Moscow (Colpix, 1962)
with Clark Terry
- More/Tread Ye Lightly (1963)
- The Power of Positive Swinging (Mainstream, 1965)
with Marian McPartland
- After Dark (1956)
- 85 Candles: Live in New York (2005)
With J. J. Johnson
- Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai at Newport (Columbia, 1956)
- Jay and Kai (Columbia, 1957)
- Trombone for Two J.J. Johnson (1956)
With Al Haig
- Al Haig Trio (Esoteric, 1954)
With Jimmy Cleveland
- A Map of Jimmy Cleveland (Mercury, 1959)
With Milt Jackson
With others
- 1960 Swing, Swing, Swing, Benny Goodman
- 1960 I Love the Life I Live, Mose Allison
- 1954 Jimmy Raney Quintet (Prestige)
- 1956 Shades of Sal Salvador
- 1957 The Voices of Don Elliott
- 1959 On Campus!, Teddy Charles
- 1962 Jazz Goes to the Movies, Manny Albam
- 1962 Joe Morello
- 1978 Original Wilber, Bob Wilber
- 1992 Live at Birdland, Eddie Bert
- 1992 Some Blues, Jay McShann
- 1994 American Songbook Series: Jule Styne
- 1994 Hoagy's Children, Vol. 1, Bob Dorough / Barbara Lea / Dick Sudhalter
- 1994 Hoagy's Children, Vol. 2, Bob Dorough / Barbara Lea / Dick Sudhalter
- 1995 Early Quintets, Phil Woods
- 1995 With Pleasure, Dick Sudhalter
- 2002 Jazz in Paris: Piano aux Champs-Elysees, Ronnell Bright/Art Simmons
- 2004 Sunday Session, Rich Pearle
- 2005 The CTS Session, Spike Robinson
- 2000 Autumn in New York, Claude Williamson Trio (Venus)
- 2010 I Remember You, Michelle Leblanc[2]
Books[edit]
- Jazz Anecdotes, Oxford University Press 1990.
- From Birdland to Broadway: Scenes fom a jazz life, Oxford University Press 1992.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Chadbourne, Eugene. "Bill Crow: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ "Bill Crow | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
