|
Short Bio
 Conventional
music industry wisdom has long dictated that a jazz musician must
take sides-either you play straight-ahead be-bop, or you go fully
contemporary and cater to the smooth jazz audience. Like the legends
he most admires - from Miles to Herbie and Ramsey - pianist and
producer Billy Mitchell loves playing both, and his refusal to limit
himself creatively has earned him respect from both sides of the
proverbial fence.
His first
solo efforts, Blue City Jam (1984) and Night Theme (1987) captured
the funky, urban flavored vibe of the Quiet Storm format just before
the advent of smooth jazz, and Faces (1988) and the similarly styled
In Focus (1991) rose high on Billboard’s contemporary jazz charts
and continue to receive international airplay. After a few colorful
excursions into swing and straight-ahead (Live All Night Long -
1994, Cat’s Pajamas - 1996, Passion - 1998) all recorded live,
Mitchell returns to the smooth jazz fold with his PRC 2001 release,
Never Give Up On Love, a soulful and dynamic session which combines
Mitchell’s love for jammin’ R&B funk with a keen sense of romance
and grace.
Born in
Tarrytown and raised in Buffalo, New York, Billy Mitchell tinkered
with the piano as a child but did not get serious about music until
he entered Morehouse College. While pursuing a political science
degree he joined the school jazz band and was soon playing gigs in
and around Atlanta. In 1970 Mitchell moved to Los Angeles to pursue
his career and was soon backing up such artists as Gloria Lynn,
Ester Phillips, Randy Crawford and Linda Hopkins, to name a few.
The Billy Mitchell Group has appeared at many international
festivals including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz
Festival, Heineken World Music Festival, International Jazz
Festival, Pori Jazz Festival, Sedona Jazz on the Rocks, and
countless club appearances. His solo career has included appearances
in film, most notably Clint Eastwood's "Bird." In 1999 America West
Airlines awarded Mitchell the Jazz For The Next Generation Award for
his continued work with young musicians. His work as a clinician has
centered on his book, "The Gigging Musician" (Backbeat Books) based
on interviews and his articles as a writer for Gig Magazine.
In 2002 Billy founded The Scholarship Audition Performance
Preparatory Academy. This program is designed to increase
participation of inner-city students in music and arts scholarship
competitions. SAPPA works to develop the students' artistic and
creative aptitude, ability, desire and skills toward the ultimate
goal of applying for and winning arts competitions.
|
