Billy Childs Jazz-Chamber Ensemble
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Billy Childs - piano
Billy Childs was born in Los Angeles. Having demonstrated an aptitude for piano as early as age six, he entered USC in 1975 as a composition major, graduating four years later with a bachelor of music in composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn. He soon toured with J.J. Johnson (with whom he made his recording debut), had an important association with Freddie Hubbard (1978-1984), and led Night Flight (a group with Dianne Reeves), and has worked with Allan Holdsworth, Eddie Daniels, Bobby Hutcherson, and Branford Marsalis, among others, in addition to leading his own regular ensembles.
Larry Koonse - acoustic guitars Matt Zebley - woodwinds Carol Robbins - harp Hamilton Price - acoustic bass Marvin "Smitty" Smith - drums The Eclipse - String Quartet Childs recorded four albums as a leader for Windham Hill Jazz (starting in 1988) and a long friendship with Chick Corea resulted his joining Chick's label Stretch Records. Billy's album, I’ve Known Rivers on Stretch was released in 1995, followed by The Child Within (Shanachie). In 1996 & 1997, Childs was nominated three times for Grammy awards; twice for Best Instrumental Composition (1996 - The Starry Night from I’ve Known Rivers and 1997 - Aaron’s Song from The Child Within ) and once for Best Performance by a Jazz Group (1997 - The Child Within). In 2002, Childs received a fourth Grammy nomination in the category of Best Arrangment Accompanying a Vocalist for his arrangement of Fascinating Rhythm on The Calling - Celebrating Sarah Vaughn (Dianne Reeves). Childs’ Jazz-Chamber Ensemble was awarded a sizeable grant by Chamber Music America. Lyric (2005), was nominated for three Grammys in 2006: best instrumental composition, best instrumental arrangement, and best jazz CD. Childs won two Grammys that year; one for best instrumental composition (Into The Light) and another for best arrangement accompanying a vocalist (his fourth nomination that year). In all, Childs has received eight Grammy nominations, winning the award twice. Mr. Childs has received a number of orchestral commissions, including: Tone Poem for Holly (1993) and Fanfare for the United Races of America (1994), each commissioned and premiered by Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic; The Distant Land (1995) by the Akron Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alan Balter; Music for String Orchestra (1989) for the Plymouth Music Series, conducted by Phillip Brunelle; and Concerto for Percussion and Concert Band (1986) by the North Texas State Wind Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Corporan. His cantata, Just Like Job, also commissioned by the the Akron Symphony Orchestra, had its world premiere on March 15, 1997. Shortly after the completion of Just Like Job, Childs then commenced work on A Day in the Forest of Dreams written for woodwind quintet and piano and commisioned by the Dorian Wind Quintet. The work was premiered in September, 1997 at Merkin Hall in New York city, and was recorded in spring of 1998. In early 2004, Childs completed For Suzanne a commissioned composition for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which was premiered by Childs, the L. A. Philharmonic, and Dianne Reeves, on January 24, 2004 in the newly constructed Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry. In October 2004 Childs completed The Fierce Urgency Of Now, a musical setting of various texts by Dr. Martin Luther King. It was performed by Childs, Wynton Marsalis, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra as part of the inaugural concert series for the new Jazz At Lincoln Center facility. On April 24, 2005, Childs’ cantata for the Los Angeles Master Chorale entitled The Voices Of Angels was premiered at Walt Disney concert hall. After the performance, Childs, along with soloist, Luciana Souza and conductor, Grant Gershon received a ten minute standing ovation and three curtain calls. Other notable accomplishments include having been commisioned twice by the Monterey Jazz Festival: once to write an extended piano concerto (Concerto for Piano & Jazz Chamber Orchestra - 1994) and also to arrange a set of original compositions for Bobby Hutcherson (1998). In the fall of 2000, Childs arranged, orchestrated, and conducted the Dianne Reeves CD, The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughn. He has also performed with his own trio in Carnegie Hall. Audio
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© 2009 Angel City Jazz Festival.