Jazz Articles about Bill Mays

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Bill Mays and Friends: Mays Plays Mays

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
January 3, 2020

In a career that has flourished for more than half a century and shows no signs whatsoever of slowing down, pianist, composer and author Bill Mays has always been known for his immaculate technique, distinctive creativity, swing and wit. Few players on any instrument are this consistently light-hearted, whether it is reflected in spontaneous and funny quoting or the clearly audible fact that this genuinely happy man is, quite literally, “playing" music to delight himself, as well as the listener. ...

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The Inventions Trio (Marvin Stamm, Bill Mays, Alisa Horn): Life's a Movie

by Maurizio Zerbo
March 6, 2014

In un avvincente incontro tra jazz e mondo classico si sviluppa questo splendido progetto in cui riluce il palpitante violoncello di Alisa Horn. Gli equilibri interni sono dettati da Bill Mays, ma è il camerismo della Horn a brillare in un percorso di grande nitore formale. Il suo toccante eloquio nella rilettura dell'evansiano “Turn Out the Stars" è l'esempio magistrale di come il talento possa rinverdire lo spirito della tradizione attraverso la sensibilità contemporanea. Il sontuoso ...

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Bill Mays Inventions Trio: Life's a Movie

by Jack Bowers
October 11, 2013

For pianist Bill Mays' Inventions Trio, the third time is indeed a charm, as it would be difficult to find music more charming than that performed by Mays, trumpeter Marvin Stamm and cellist Alisa Horn on Life's a Movie, the trio's third album together (and first for Chiaroscuro Records). This is “chamber jazz" of the highest order, with the classically trained Horn complementing perfectly the jazz-inflected sorties of Mays and Stamm in a program whose beauty is equaled only by ...

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Bill Mays: Inventions, Conventions and Dimensions

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
July 22, 2013

This title is more than a rhyme: it's an attempt to capture some of the legendary versatility of pianist Bill Mays. “Inventions" refers to his unprecedented, working jazz trio of piano, trumpet, and cello. “Conventions" is a nod to his invaluable contribution to the annual meeting of the International Society of Bassists (in 2013, he played 21 rehearsals and 24 concerts during the week). Finally, “dimensions" reflects his multifaceted musical accomplishments, which include soundtracks for TV and movies--for example, his ...

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Bill Mays: Mays at the Movies

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
March 13, 2010

Bill Mays has spent much of his career as a first-call studio pianist in Hollywood, accompanying singers like Sarah Vaughan and Al Jarreau, and playing on movie soundtracks. Moreover, his most recent CDs have involved his innovative third-stream group, The Inventions Trio, with trumpeter Marvin Stamm and cellist Alisa Horn. As a result, Mays's profile may be a bit lower than some who spend more time in the jazz performance spotlight. But he's also one of the most intelligent, fluent, ...

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Bill Mays: Solo and Trio

by Ken Dryden
March 6, 2010

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Bill Mays is a veteran artist with an extensive musical resumé, having taken part in all kinds of session work, ranging from movie soundtracks to jazz, backing vocalists and even working with Frank Zappa! Mays paid his dues as a sideman with Sarah Vaughan, Bud Shank and ...

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The Marvin Stamm Quartet: Alone Together

by Jack Bowers
November 15, 2007

Alone Together is not only another splendid album by trumpeter Marvin Stamm's quartet (does he ever produce anything less?), it also comes with a bonus--a DVD whose playing sequence duplicates the CD and allows one to see and hear Stamm, pianist Bill Mays, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ed Soph as they study one another, alertly interact and carefully work things out in a concert taped on November 2006.

The quartet as it now stands has been performing together for ...