Pianist-composer-publisher Bill King is a multi-talented individual whose recording and production credits include ‘Live! In Session’ by Liberty Silver; ‘Magnolia Nights, Moment’s Notice’ by Bill King and the Jazz Report All-Stars, ‘From The Heart’ a tribute to piano great Oscar Peterson, ‘East Side Symphony, The Night Passage Years’ and most recently Bill King’s Saturday Nite Fish Fry “Jump Shout Rock da House,” The Rockit 88 Band’s “Too Much Fun” and the King.Alleyne.Roth Trio’s “It Might As Well Be Spring.”. These projects highlight King’s versatility as both a keyboardist and composer.
Born in Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1946, King spent his youth studying with W.C. Handy’s former pianist Eva Smith, the Louisville Academy of music’s Don Murray and Indiana University saxophonist-educator Jamey Aebersold. By the early ‘60’s, he had won 16 first place awards in classical piano and clarinet competitions and a scholarship to Oscar Peterson’s Advanced School of Contemporary music-- attending in 63.
King started his career performing with local community orchestras and big bands. In1966, he and his band The Chateaus had their first Billboard Top 50 hit with jazz pianist’s Bobby Timmons gospel romp, Moanin’. This success led to working with many of the stars of the day--The Shangrilas, Dick and Dee Dee, Freddy Cannon, The Dovells, Ronnie Dove, opening for the Beaches Boys on three occasions, and work with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars.
By 1968, King had moved from Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan where he held the position as house pianist at Louie Jordan’s to Los |
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Angeles to become music director and pianist for Linda Ronstadt. A year later, he joined Janis Joplin’s band in the same capacity. In 1969, King moved to Toronto and signed a recording contract with Capitol Records. Over the next couple years he released two albums as a leader---Goodbye Superdad in 1970 and Dixie Peach in 1972.
King returned to Los Angeles in 1976 as music director for vocalist Martha Reeves. After accompanying her on a European tour, he joined The Pointer Sisters and spent the next year touring Japan and the U.S. with them. Recording dates with The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Lakeside, John Handy, Sonny Criss and a tour with John Klemmer ( V.S.O.P). featuring Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard and Ron Carter) followed .
King returned to Toronto in the late ‘70s to form the rock group China and record one self-titled album for Epic/CBS. By 1984 after a year-long stint with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, King opened his first independent jazz label Night Passage Records. Over the next four years King recorded (Ice, Avenue B and City of Dreams) followed by one release on Gaia Records---Magnolia Nights. Avenue B was Nominated for Best Jazz Recording at the Junos.
During the mid-eighties, King began a career as a jazz broadcaster first at Q-107 in 1985 and Q-Jazz and then creating the Jazz Report Radio Network extending from 1986- 1991. In 1987 he established a equally rewarding career as a publisher and record company president. In 1987, he and partner Greg Sutherland founded The Jazz Report Magazine which began as an eight-page newsletter and quickly evolved into a four-color magazine distributed world-wide. The pair went on to open a new record label Radioland in 1992 and a year later signed a major manufacturing and distribution deal with Verve/Polygram Canada.
King has also been a driving force in the success of the Beaches International Jazz Festival since it’s inception in 1988. His duties as artistic director and emcee bring him in contact with some of the finest talent worldwide. Recently, King added artistic duties for the Toronto International BBQ & Blues Festival to his portfolio.
Over the past seven years King has become an accomplished photographer, not only supplying concert photos for The Jazz Report, but also a year long showing at The Top of the Senator, newspapers, The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Eye Magazine, Music Scene International, Education Forum and numerous other periodicals.
King co-produced top selling boogie/swing pianist Tyler Yarema and His Rhythm’s Radioland debut “Gotta Bran’ New Suit “ and Pat LaBarbera’s “ Deep In A Dream” which collected a Juno for Best Traditional Jazz recording in 2000. Radioland was nominated for Junos in 2001 for Kirk MacDonald’s “New Beginnings” and 2002 for Campbell Ryga’s “Spectacular”.”
Currently Bill leads three of the cities most accomplished ensembles; The Jazz Report All-Stars featuring Don Thompson, Pat LaBarbera, Kirk MacDonald, Roy Styfee, Terry Promane, Terry Clarke, Artie Roth, Kevin Turcotte and Ted Quinlan , the revisionist Saturday Nite Fish Fry featuring Bob Brough, Chris Gayle, Rick Grattan, Artie Roth, John Johnson, Neil Chapman, and Kevin Turcotte and Juno Nominated Rockit 88 Band featuring guitarist Neil Chapman, bassist Artie Roth and drummer Kevan McKenzie.
King is also the 2003 recipient of Producer of the Year from the National Jazz Awards as voted by the public from across Canada. Currently, King has two recordings from his new bands: The Rockit 88 Band and King. Alleyne.Roth Trio. and a new date with hard bop aggregate Kollage called Fine Print and pending sessions with young singer Sofia Milman for Linus Entertainment
The past seven years King has gone from avid student of photography to working professional with three major exhibitions; two being portraits in jazz and the other the Kuna Indians of San Blas Islands, all part of Contact. King’s photos grace the covers of numerous sound recordings, magazines, and appear frequently in newspapers. The live performance is where King enjoys working.
Three years ago he started the National Jazz Awards-helping to bring the sound of Canadian jazz musicians into the homes of thousands of listeners through CBC One and Two. The events were well received and attended.
On the go is the widely read Ejazznews.com – King and son Jesse’s international jazz and blues online news service and 7 Arts Entertainment which recently penned a distribution agreement with Fusion 111 Distribution in Montreal. Currently, the label is making headway with the debut title, Real Divas Vol. 1 “Torchlight.” – the Maple Blues Artist of the Year and Juno Nominated ‘Too Much Fun’ from the Rocket 88 Band – National Jazz Awards nominated jazz trio – King. Alleyne.Roth ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’. Coming June the follow-up recording to Saturday Nite Fush Fry’s ‘Jump Shout Rock da House’ – ‘Rhythm & Soul’ featuring vocalist Shakura S’Aida.
Bill is also back on the airwaves at Jazz.Fm 91.1 with his weekly show Jazz Preview – producing Joe Sealy’s ‘Duets’ and various specials – the Christmas Blues Special, Real Divas Valentine and Easter special featuring Emile Claire Barlow, John Alcorn, Sophie Milman, George Evans and Shakura S’Aida.
For two consecutive years Bill was voted producer of the year from the National Jazz Awards Canada.
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