Larry Willis

For other people named Larry Willis, see Larry Willis (disambiguation).

Lawrence Elliott Willis (December 20, 1942 – September 29, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, and avant-garde.

Larry Willis
Background information
Birth name	Lawrence Elliott Willis
Born	(1942-12-20)December 20, 1942 Harlem, New York City, U.S.
Died	September 29, 2019(2019-09-29) (aged 76) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, post-bop, avant-garde jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instrument	Piano
Years active	1965–2019

Willis was born in New York City. 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! in January 1965, 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.

Throughout his career he performed with a wide range of musicians, including several years as keyboardist for Blood, Sweat & Tears (beginning in 1972). He spent several years as pianist for trumpeters Nat Adderley and Woody Shaw as well as long and productive tenures with Roy Hargrove and with Jerry Gonzalez and his Fort Apache Band. His late recording with Paul Murphy, Exposé, demonstrated the fusion principles of bebop and avant-garde jazz. His composition "Sanctuary" began exploring works employing strings. After a successful performance in Frank Lloyd Wright's Annie Pfieffer Chapel at Florida Southern College's Child of the Sun Jazz Festival he was commissioned to write a full-scale orchestral work for jazz trio and orchestra. He worked with Hugh Masekela on a South African Suite of music and interpreted Miles Davis' work. He was in the Round About Midnight tour of Miles Davis' music. He received the Don Redman award in 2011, and the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University in 2012.

He died of an aneurysm in Baltimore at the age of 76.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• A New Kind of Soul (LLP, 1970)
• Inner Crisis (Groove Merchant, 1973)
• My Funny Valentine (Jazz City, 1988)
• Just in Time (SteepleChase, 1989)
• Heavy Blue (SteepleChase, 1990)
• Let's Play (SteepleChase, 1991)
• Steal Away (AudioQuest, 1991 1992)
• Solo Spirit (Mapleshade, 1992, [1993])
• How Do You Keep the Music Playing? (SteepleChase, 1992)
• Unforgettable: Piano Solos, (SteepleChase, 1992)
• A Tribute to Someone (AudioQuest, 1993 [1994])
• Serenade (Sound Hills, 1995)
• If Trees Could Talk (Mapleshade, 1999) with Hamiet Bluiett
• Sunshower (Mapleshade, 2001) with Kash Killion, Steve Novosel, Paul Murphy, Steve Berrios
• Sanctuary (Mapleshade, 2003) with Joe Ford, Ray Codrington, Steve Novosel, Steve Berrios, Artie Sherman and the Rick Schmidt Strings
• The Powers of Two (Mapleshade, 2004) with Paul Murphy
• Alter Ego (Mapleshade, 2006) with Tony Pancella
• The Big Push (HighNote, 2006)
• Blue Fable (HighNote, 2007)
• The Offering (HighNote, 2008)
• This Time the Dream's on Me (HighNote, 2012)
• I Fall In Love Too Easily (HighNote, 2020)

As sideman

With Nat Adderley

• On the Move (Theresa, 1983)
• Blue Autumn (Theresa, 1983)

With Gary Bartz

• Episode One: Children of Harlem (Challenge, 1994)

With Cindy Blackman

• Arcane (Muse, 1987)

With Carla Bley

• Night-Glo (Watt/ECM, 1985)
• Sextet (Watt/ECM, 1987)

With Blood, Sweat & Tears

• New Blood (Columbia, 1972)
• No Sweat (Columbia, 1973)
• Mirror Image (Columbia, 1974)
• New City (Columbia, 1975)
• In Concert (Columbia, 1976)
• More Than Ever (Columbia, 1976)
• Brand New Day (ABC Records, 1977)

With Jerry Gonzalez and The Fort Apache Band

• Earth Dance (Sunnyside, 1993)
• Crossroads (Milestone, 1994)
• Pensativo (Milestone, 1995)
• Fire Dance (Milestone, 1996)

With Roy Hargrove

• Moment to Moment (Verve, 2000)

With Louis Hayes

• Nightfall (SteepleChase, 1991)

With Jimmy Heath

• Peer Pleasure (Landmark, 1987)

With Joe Henderson

• Multiple (Milestone, 1973)

With Groove Holmes

• American Pie (Groove Merchant, 1972)

With Clifford Jordan

• The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan (Mapleshade, 1989-91 [1997])

With Robin Kenyatta

• Gypsy Man (Atlantic, 1973)

With Hugh Masekela

• Grrr (uncredited) (1966)
• Reconstruction (1970)
• Home Is Where the Music Is (1978)
• Main Event Live (1978)
• Almost Like Being in Jazz (2005)
• Friends (2012)

With Jackie McLean

• Right Now! (Blue Note, 1965)
• Jacknife (Blue Note, 1965)

With Carmen McRae

• Carmen Sings Monk (1988)

With Lee Morgan

• Infinity (Blue Note, 1965)

With Alphonse Mouzon

• The Essence of Mystery (Blue Note, 1972)

With Paul Murphy

• The Powers of Two, Volume 2 (Mapleshade, 2004 [2006])
• Exposé (Murphy Records, 2008)
• Excursions (Murphy Records, 2008)
• Foundations (Murphy Records, 2009)

With David "Fathead" Newman

• Still Hard Times (Muse, 1982)

With Valery Ponomarev

• Trip to Moscow (Reservoir, 1987)

With Woody Shaw

• For Sure! (Columbia, 1979)

With Steve Swallow

• Carla (Xtra Watt, 1987)

With Buddy Terry

• Lean on Him (Mainstream, 1973)

With Norris Turney

• Big, Sweet 'n Blue – with Turney, Walter Booker, and Jimmy Cobb (Mapleshade, 1993)

With Fred Lipsius

• Dreaming of Your Love (mja Records,1995)

With C. I. Williams

• When Alto Was King (Mapleshade, 1997)

As co-leader

With Heads of State

• Search for Peace – with Buster Williams, Al Foster, and Gary Bartz (Smoke Sessions, 2015)

External links

• Larry Willis at AllMusic