Billy Bang RIP

[Guest]

Violinist Billy Bang has died, aged 63. A sad loss of one of the more distinctive players of the present day. To me he was one of those musicians who linked the avant-garde to jazz history: at one moment his playing was totally free, at others he sounded like Stuff Smith.

Brief biography: http://jazztimes.com/articles/16293-...separate-peace

Performance, with Frank Lowe, William Parker and others: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uh7EWMqrzE

[burning dog]

[QUOTE=Byas'd Opinion;46103]. To me he was one of those musicians who linked the avant-garde to jazz history: at one moment his playing was totally free, at others he sounded like Stuff Smith.

/QUOTE]

Agreed Byas'd

He will be much missed

[Byas'd Opinion]

I saw Billy Bang when he played in Glasgow, at the old Riverside Club, in the early 90s (or maybe the very late 80s). He was there with a marvellous band: Frank Lowe on tenor, Sirone on bass, and Dennis Charles on drums. I think a Ken Hyder band was the support act.

The thing I remember most about their peformance was the encore: a fabulous version of "C Jam Blues", with Bang and Lowe taking it in turns to play wild contemporary solos while the other riffed away behind them and the rhythm section swung like fury. I thought it was a great way to deal with the jazz tradition: treat it with respect, but use it for contemporary ends rather than merely trying to recreate how things used to be done.

[Ian Thumwood]

Billy Bang was great. Shame that i never got to hear him play. "Vietnam: The Aftermath" is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, in my opinion. This is a classic recording and extremely personal.

[Paul Sherratt]

Bang the violin slowly

http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/39935

[Byas'd Opinion]

Obituary in the Graun:http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011...-bang-obituary