Bill Crow

William Orval Crow (born December 27, 1927) is an American jazz bassist. Among other work, Crow was the long-term bassist in saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's bands in the 1950s and 1960s.

For the American basketball player, see Bill Crow (basketball).
Bill Crow
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Orval Crow
Born (1927-12-27) December 27, 1927
Othello, Washington, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, author
InstrumentsBass, tuba
Years active1950s–present
LabelsVenus
Associated actsGerry Mulligan
Websitewww.billcrowbass.com
Bill Crow and drummer Dick Sheridan

Early life

Crow was born on December 27, 1927 in Othello, Washington but spent his childhood in Kirkland, Washington.[1] In fourth grade, he took up the trumpet.[2] When he joined the Army in 1946, he started to play brass instruments. He remained 9n the army until 1949.[1] After leaving the Army, he played drums and trombone while a student at the University of Washington.[1]

Later life and career

In 1950, Crow moved to New York City.[1] Within two years of starting to play the double bass, he played with Teddy Charles and was with Stan Getz from October 1952 to April of the following year.[1] He was part of Gerry Mulligan's groups as a bassist during the mid to late 1950s.[2]

"Crow joined the house band at Eddie Condon's club in 1965 and then played with Walter Norris’s small group, which was one of the house bands at the Playboy Club in New York (1965–71)."[1] "From 1975 into the late 1990s he worked in theater orchestras for Broadway shows (where he sometimes played tuba)."[1]

He wrote a book called Jazz Anecdotes that was published by Oxford University Press in 1991.[1] His autobiography, From Birdland to Broadway, was released by the same publisher two years later.[1]

Discography

As leader
  • From Birdland to Broadway (Venus, 1995, 2002)
  • Jazz Anecdotes (Venus, 1996)

As sideman

With Gerry Mulligan

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

With Al Cohn

with Clark Terry

with Marian McPartland

  • After Dark (1956)
  • 85 Candles: Live in New York (2005)

With J. J. Johnson

With Al Haig

With Jimmy Cleveland

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[3]

Books
  • Jazz Anecdotes, Oxford University Press 1990.
  • From Birdland to Broadway: Scenes from a jazz life, Oxford University Press 1992.

References
  1. Koch, Lawrence; Kernfeld, Barry (2003), Crow, Bill (William Orval), Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J107200
  2. Chadbourne, Eugene. "Bill Crow: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  3. "Bill Crow | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
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