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 BILLY BANG's Profile |
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BILLY BANG - Violinist |
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| Location: | New York |
| Country: |  United States |
| Last Login: | Oct 7, 2008 (448 days back) |
About Me |
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Billy BangThe violin is hardly the first instrument that comes to mind when you think about jazz, but that's never daunted Billy Bang, one of the instrument's most adventurous exponents.Over the past 26 years Bang's hard-edged tone, soulful sense of traditional swing and evocatively expressive style has enhanced over two dozen albums by top names in a variety of genres, from the blistering funk of Bootsy Collins and the harmolodic groove of Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decoding Society to the intergalactic uproar of Sun Ra.With more than 15 albums under his own leadership, nearly a dozen more in co-led endeavors, and five more with the String Trio of New York (which he co-founded in 1977 with guitarist James Emery and bassist John Lindberg), Billy Bang is one of the more prolific and original members of the progressive scene.Born William Vincent Walker in Mobile, Alabama in 1947, his family moved to New York City's Harlem while he was still an infant. In junior high school he was nicknamed Billy Bang after a cartoon character, and over his initial protests, it stuck. Around the same time, his primary interest turned to music, and he took up the violin, switching to percussion in the early '60s when he became captivated by Afro-Cuban rhythms.While attending a Massachusetts prep school under full scholarship, he met and began playing with fellow-student, folk-singer Arlo Guthrie. Drafted into the army following graduation, Bang was sent to Vietnam, an experience that profoundly affected his life, often quite painfully. Returning home and radicalized, Billy became active in the anti-war movement, and by the late '60s had returned to music.Heavily inspired by the exploratory fire of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman and the liberating energy of the free-jazz movement, Bang returned to the violin as his principal means of expression. Attending New York's Queens College, and studying privately with renowned violinist Leroy Jenkins, Bang became a key member of the dynamic New York avant-garde scene of the '70s.Forming his own group, The Survival Ensemble, and working with artists like David Murray, Frank Lowe, William Parker and the legendary Sam Rivers, Billy began to reach an international audience in 1977 with the String Trio, remaining with the cooperative ensemble for nine years.During these same years he continued to tour and record with his own ensembles, as well as genre-busting ensembles like The Decoding Society and Bill Laswell's Material (alongside guitar giant Sonny Sharrock). He even briefly led his own funk-oriented band, Forbidden Planet, and in 1981 taught at the University of Nebraska.He continued to work and collaborate with notables like Murray, Don Cherry and James 'Blood ' Ulmer, and in 1982 began a ten-year association with the incomparable Sun Ra, concluding with a 1992 quartet recording for Soul Note, "A Tribute to Stuff Smith," dedicated to the father of the jazz violin.In 1990, Bang formed the Solomonic Quartet with trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah, and continued to freelance and lead his own groups.Relocating to Berlin in 1996 where he lived until 2000, Bang criss-crossed the Atlantic frequently, performing all over Europe and doing five tours through the South and Midwest with percussionist Abbey Rader, three of which included tenorman Frank Lowe.He also began a regular working relationship with percussionist Kahil El'Zabar in 1996, performing in duet, and sometimes as a trio with esteemed Art Ensemble of Chicago co-founder and bassist Malachi Favors Maghostut.Currently, Bang records for Canada's Justin Time Records, for which he recorded "Bang On" in 1997 and "The Big Bang Theory" in 1999. His latest CD (released in October 2001) entitled "Vietnam: The Aftermath" evokes and confronts the memories of his Vietnam experiences and showcases the fine compositional skills that have always marked his own recordings.Returning to New York in 2000, Bang has continued his busy schedule, touring Europe in the Fall of 2001 with David Murray, continuing a musical interaction that has lasted over 25 years with a series of concerts and a collaborative dance work in Birmingham, England.He also tours Europe in November 2001 and the U.S. in January 2002 in duet with El'Zabar; and performs in England with the fusion ensemble Sonicphonics, with whom he's worked since 1998.A dazzling improviser, excellent composer, and provocative leader, Billy Bang remains on the cutting-edge of jazz expression.. Billy Bang Facebook page Billy Bang views his page so please leave a message on his profile and he will visit you too . Billy Bang's page is maintained by Genius Developments Music |
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My Interests |
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Music:Member Since: 1/25/2007Band Website: justin-time.com/authors/billybang/ Band Members: Influences: Stuff Smith - Ornette Coleman - Classical Music Sounds Like: BILLY BANG AlBUMS Name/Label/Date Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids (Live) - Justin Time Records - 2007 Hip Hop Be Bop - ITM, Vietnam: Reflections - Justin Time, 2005 Vietnam: The Aftermath - Justin Time, 2001 Big Bang Theory - Justin Time, 2000 Forbidden Planet - Masterplan, 2000 Commandment (For the Sculpture of Alain Kirili) - No More, 1997 Bang On! - Justin Time, 1997 Spirits Gathering - CIMP, 1997 Tribute to Stuff Smith - Soul Note, 1996 Valve, No. 10 - Soul Note, 1992 Live at Carlos 1 - Soul Note, 1988 The Fire From Within - Soul Note, 1986 Invitation - Soul Note, 1984 Bangception, Willisau [live] 1982 Hat Musics, 1982 Outline, No. 12 - Celluloid, 1982 Rainbow Gladiator - Soul Note, 1982 Live at Green Space - Amina, 1981 Changing Seasons - Bellows, 1981 Sweet Space Anima, 1980 Distinction without a Difference - hatHUT, 1979 New York Collage - Anima, 1979 Available at Amazon Record Label: http://www.justin-time.com/authors/billybang/ Type of Label: Indie |
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My Background and Lifestyle |
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| Occupation: | Music Artist (Jazz / Experimental / Roots Music) |
My Pictures |
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My Blog |
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Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids by Steve Leggett |
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| Above and Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids by Steve LeggettThis is a remarkable album on several levels. Recorded at a performance by the Billy Bang Quintet at the Urban Institute for Contemporary A... Posted by BILLY BANG on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 03:06:00 PST |
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Billy Bang Quintet with Frank Lowe - Above & Beyond: An Evening in Grand Rapids |
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| Music Review: Billy Bang Quintet with Frank Lowe - Above & Beyond: An Evening in Grand RapidsWritten by Michael J. WestPublished May 21, 2007Violinist Billy Bang and tenor saxophonist Frank Lowe share... Posted by BILLY BANG on Thu, 31 May 2007 12:50:00 PST |
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Video: Billy Bang live with Kahil El Zabaar's band |
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| Billy Bang
Add to My Profile | More Videos... Posted by BILLY BANG on Thu, 31 May 2007 12:24:00 PST |
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Billy Bang / Kahil El'Zabar tour |
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| Billy Bang will be touring the U.S. and Europe with Kahil El'Zabar from the March to the end of April 2007 ...... Check it ...... Posted by BILLY BANG on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 09:52:00 PST |
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Unsung Recordings by Billy Bang |
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| Unsung Recordings by Billy BangBilly Bang - Published: May 7, 2004By Robert SpencerRainbow Gladiator1981Soul NoteExpansive and warm, this is one of Billy Bang's best recordings. Tyler had a rough, app... Posted by BILLY BANG on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 07:42:00 PST |
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Billy Bang Is in the House by Tom Hull |
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| Billy Bang Is in the HouseLittle kid struggling to comprehend his past opens up new worlds for jazz fiddleby Tom HullOctober 3rd, 2005 12:28 PM He's reached a pinnacle.More young jazz violinists appea... Posted by BILLY BANG on Fri, 26 Jan 2007 03:44:00 PST |
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My Friends |
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Alexander's Book about musicians & music, ORNETTE COLEMAN, Cindy Blackman Music, Frank Lowe, Stuff Smith, SUN RA, ydt¯fonts, Chuck D, Dick Griffin, Gary Lucas, Perfect Sound Forever, Bootsy Collins, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, elliottlevin, Bill Brovold, Ebony Strings, jessicapavone, New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund (ReDefine 8/29), Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society, Wadada Leo Smith, art ensemble of chicago, saul williams, Genius Developments Music, James Blood Ulmer, DJ Qbert, Kronos Quartet, The Roots, Marc Ribot, Immortal Technique, Knitting Factory, NapoleonSolo, maritri, Miroslav Tovirac, Christine Moore, Soprano, Pat Metheny Group, Talib Kweli, Auf der Maur, Amp Fiddler, Under Your Skin - Book about musicians & music, Morcheeba, DREAMTIMEJAZZ, LUTHER THOMAS-DIZZAZZGANSTA'JAZZ, Eguie Castrillo and his Orchestra, Jean Cabbie & The Secret Admirer Society, Roman Matusevich, Warren Benbow, ART YARD RECORDS, Zimbabwe Nkenya, J. Otis Powell!, The Spiritual Jazz Quartet, Stef, violin and bass guitar, Nickolai D. Nickolov, Selene Muñoz, Mister G, Michael McGuire, Rebels To The Grain, florian tuchacek, Blackman Preach, Markus Breuss, Tuenda, Marc Edwards & Slipstream Time Travel, Laszlo, Samm Bennett, Andrew Cyrille's CrashPad, Garrison Fewell, Ricardo Freitas, Bob, Wired Planet, arkestra, Antonis Anissegos, Iván Macuil Priego, Nathalie, Long Time Dead, Jazz à Part, julia messenger, miriam, ~Soul Harp~, Maria Thompson Corley, Tami~ko, Martin Abbuehl 's Swingexpress, Music Independence Summit Connection, Chris, Myra Melford, sOul CreePer, Gone Like Train, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Enzo Rocco, Ron Kobayashi Trio, Greg Vail
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BILLY BANG's profile has been tagged with the following keywords. Click a tag to search for profiles with the same tags. folk singer arlo, arlo guthrie, ornette coleman, string trio of new york, john lindberg, york citys, bootsy collins, james emery, cuban rhythms, eric dolphy, guitarist james, bassist john, decoding society, john coltrane, billy bang, jazz movement, progressive scene, william vincent, roots music, sun ra |
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