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Bill Lee

 
Artist: Bill Lee
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists
Bill Lee

Worked With:

Bruce Langhorne, Chad Mitchell, Eric Weissberg, Frank Strozier, Ray Bryant, Aretha Franklin, Judy Collins

Formal Connection With:

Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Odetta

Relationship With:

Spike Lee
  • Born: July 23, 1928, Snow Hill, AL
  • Active: '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s
  • Genres: Soundtrack
  • Instrument: Bass
  • Representative Albums: "She's Gotta Have It," "Do the Right Thing"

Biography

Born in Snow Hill, AL, on July 23, 1928, bassist Bill Lee was a prolific sideman and session player for numerous jazz, folk, and pop recordings, first in Chicago during the 1940s and '50s, then in New York from 1959. The founder of the New York Bass Violin Choir, he worked with leader Ted Harris during the '80s on the Harris & Dyer label. The father of film director Spike Lee, the elder Lee has composed original music for a number of his son's movies, notably Do the Right Thing, for which he won the Best Music prize at the 1989 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Bill Lee (musician)
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Bill Lee
Birth name William James Edwards Lee III
Also known as William J.E. Lee
Born July 23, 1928 (1928-07-23) (age 81)
Snow Hill, Alabama, United States
Genres Jazz
Occupations composer, conductor, actor
Instruments Double bass, bass guitar
Labels Columbia records
Associated acts Aretha Franklin, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins

William "Bill" James Edwards Lee III[1] (born July 23, 1928) is an American musician. He has played the bass for many artists including Aretha Franklin, Odetta and Bob Dylan. On the original release of Dylan's classic song "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", Lee on bass guitar is the only musician performing other than Dylan himself.[2]

Lee was born in Snow Hill, Alabama, the son of Alberta G., a concert pianist, and Arnold W. Lee, a musician.[3] He is the father of film director Spike Lee (born 1957), photographer David Lee (born 1961), actress Joie Lee (born 1962), and filmmaker Cinqué Lee (born 1966)[4] and has composed original music for many of his son's films, including She's Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing and Mo' Better Blues.

Contents

Film work

  • Music director and performer on the song "Nola," She's Gotta Have It (also see below), Island, 1986.
  • Music conductor of Natural Spiritual Orchestra, School Daze (alsosee below), Columbia, 1988.
  • Music conductor of Natural Spiritual Orchestra, Do the Right Thing(also see below), Universal, 1989.
  • Music director, Mo' Better Blues (also see below), Universal, 1990.

Film appearances

  • Sonny Darling, She's Gotta Have It (also see below), Island, 1986.
  • Bassist in the Phyllis Hyman Quartet, School Daze (also see below), Columbia, 1988.
  • Father of the Bride, Mo' Better Blues (also see below), Universal,1990.

Stage work

  • (With Stuart Scharf) Music arranger, A Hand is on the Gate, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1966.

Television appearances

  • Has appeared on the television show Today and Harry Belafonte television specials.

Album appearances

  • The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe: A Spirit Speaks
  • The Brass Company: Colors (Strata East)
  • Richard Davis: On Philosophy of the Spiritual (Buddah), Fancy Free (Galaxy) and With Understanding (Muse)
  • Richard Adams: Harvest (Muse)
  • The Warm Voice of Billy "C": Where have you been Billy Boy (Strata East)
  • Clifford Jordan: Glass Bead Games (Strata East)
  • Peter, Paul & Mary: Album (Warner Bros.)

Film music

  • Score, She's Gotta Have It, Island, 1986.
  • Score, and songs "Straight and Nappy," "Be One," and "Wake Up Suite," School Daze, Columbia, 1988.
  • Score, Do the Right Thing, Universal, 1989.
  • "Mo' Better Blues" and "Again Never," Mo' Better Blues, Universal,1990.
  • Composer of score for the short film "Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We CutHeads."

Stage music

  • (Contributor) Yes, God is Real, Apollo Theatre, New York City, 1988.

Opera

  • Composer. The Depot, One Mile East, Baby Sweets, The Quarter, The Rabbi, Monica, Juan Valdez and the children's opera Little Johnny.

References

  1. ^ Spike Lee Biography (1956?-)
  2. ^ Williams, P. (2004). Bob Dylan: Performing Artist, 1960-1973 (2nd edition ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 138. ISBN 9781844490950. 
  3. ^ Bill Lee Biography (1928-)
  4. ^ [1]

External links


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Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bill Lee (musician)".  Read more

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