Bill Easley
Bill Easley | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1946 Olean, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Flute, saxophone, clarinet |
Bill Easley (born January 13, 1946)[1] is an American jazz musician who plays saxophone, flute, and clarinet.
Early life and education[edit]
Easley was born and raised in Olean, New York.[2] He began playing music at the age of 13 and studied at Memphis State University during the 1960s.[3]
Career[edit]
Easley worked with George Benson in the late 1960s and with Isaac Hayes in the 1970s. He also did sessions at Stax and Hi Records (with Ann Peebles and Al Green). He moved back to New York in 1980.
He has worked with Roland Hanna, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Smith, Ruth Brown, James Williams, Bill Mobley, George Caldwell, Mulgrew Miller, Grady Tate, Victor Gaskin, Panama Francis, Mercer Ellington, and Billy Higgins.[4]
Discography[edit]
- Wind Inventions (Sunnyside, 1986)
- First Call (Milestone, 1990)
- Easley Said (Evidence, 1997)
- Business Man's Bounce (18th & Vine, 2007)
- Hearing Voices (18th and Vine, 2008)
- Love Stories (American Showplace, 2010)
As sideman[edit]
With Mercer Ellington
- Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies (RCA, 1981)
- Music is My Mistress (Music Masters, 1988)
With Jimmy McGriff
- City Lights (JAM, 1981)
- Movin' Upside the Blues (JAM, 1982)
- Skywalk (Milestone, 1984)
- Blue to the 'Bone (Milestone, 1988)
- You Ought to Think About Me (Headfirst, 1990)
- McGriff's House Party (Milestone, 2000)
- Feelin' It (Milestone, 2000)
- McGriff Avenue (Milestone, 2002)
With Warren Vaché
- Talk to Me Baby (Muse, 1996)
With James Williams
- Flying Colors (Zim, 1977)
- Alter Ego (Sunnyside, 1984)
- Progress Report (Sunnyside, 1985)
- Memphis Convention (DIW, 1992)
With others
- Jimmy Witherspoon, Sings the Blues (Black & Blue, 1980)
- Benny Carter, Central City Sketches (MusicMasters, 1987)
- Bobby Watson, The Year of the Rabbit (New Note, 1987)
- Charles Earland, Front Burner (Milestone, 1988)
- Ed Thigpen, BWay (Alpha Jazz, 1989)
- Grady Tate, Dream Love (All Art, 1989)
- Joey DeFrancesco, Where Were You? (Columbia, 1990)
- Etta Jones, Christmas with Etta Jones (Muse, 1990)
- Randy Johnston, Walk On (Muse, 1992)
- Grady Tate, TNT Grady Tate Sings (Milestone, 1991)
- Dakota Staton, Darling Please Save Your Love for Me (Muse, 1991)
- Jimmy Heath, Little Man Big Band, (Verve, 1992)
- Harold Mabern The Leading Man (DIW, 1993)
- Chris Connor, I Walk With Music (HighNote, 2002)
- Mark Murphy, Memories of You: Remembering Joe Williams (HighNote, 2003)
References[edit]
- ^ "WBSS Media-Bill Easley". wbssmedia.com. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
- ^ Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (2007). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-532000-8.
- ^ "Bill Easley musician - All About Jazz". All About Jazz Musicians. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "Bill Easley | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- African-American jazz musicians
- African-American saxophonists
- American session musicians
- American male saxophonists
- American flautists
- Living people
- University of Memphis alumni
- 1946 births
- 21st-century American saxophonists
- 21st-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians
- Sunnyside Records artists
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American people
- People from Olean, New York
- People from Cattaraugus County, New York
- 21st-century flautists
- American woodwind musician stubs
- Saxophonist stubs
- Flautist stubs