George Wadenius,
Pierre M. Sprey,
Joe Ford,
Bobby Colomby,
Steve Berrios,
Todd Barkan,
Dave Bargeron,
Jerry Gonzalez,
Victor Lewis
Born: December 20, 1940, New York, NY
Active: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000s
Genres: Jazz
Instrument: Piano
Representative Albums: "Blue Fable," "Tribute to Someone," "Solo Spirit"
Representative Songs: "Out on the Coast," "Ethiopia," "Sensei"
Biography
Once identified with on-the-edge free music, keyboardist Larry Willis had a profitable flirtation with fusion in the '70s, then moved to hard bop in the '80s and '90s. Willis' playing has been frenetic, ambitious, and interesting, but during his jazz-rock and fusion days it was funky but greatly restrained and simplistic. A devotee of Herbie Hancock, Willis has found a good balance, with expertly constructed modal solos and also lyrical, relaxed statements. Willis graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in the early '60s, then played with Jackie McLean and Hugh Masekela. He recorded with Lee Morgan and McLean in the mid-'60s, and worked with Kai Winding and Stan Getz, as well as recording with Robin Kenyatta in 1969. Willis turned to synthesizer and electric piano in the '70s, doing sessions with Cannonball Adderley, Earl May, Joe Henderson, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Masekela again. He joined Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1972, recorded with Alphonse Mouzon in both 1972 and 1973, and did dates as a leader and freelance session musician. Willis also recorded with Ryo Kawasaki and Sonny Fortune in the late '70s, and with David "Fathead" Newman and Carla Bley in the '80s. Willis toured and recorded with Nat Adderley in the '80s and joined Woody Shaw's quintet in 1986. He's done sessions as a leader for Groove Merchant, Steeplechase, Audioquest, Brunswick, and Mapleshade, among others, including Blue Fable and Offering on Highnote in 2007 and 2008, respectively. ~ Ron Wynn and Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
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!, 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. He is still recording and touring around the world.
Throughout his illustrious career he has performed with a wide range of musicians, including a stint of seven years as keyboardist for Blood, Sweat & Tears (beginning in 1972). His latest recording with Paul Murphy, Exposé , demonstrates the high energy fusion principals of Bebop and Avant-Garde Jazz. Their brilliant blending of Bebop and Avant garde jazz is astounding, creating extraordinary compositions that have been described as a ‘fantastic masterpiece of modern jazz’ leaving extraordinary representational images of vast dream state emotions.
