Bill Barron (jazz musician)

Bill Barron (born March 27, 1927 in Philadelphia , † September 21, 1989 in Middletown , Connecticut ) was an American jazz musician ( tenor saxophonist , composer ) and university teacher.

Barron learned the piano from his mother when he was nine and switched to the saxophone when he was thirteen. He also studied music theory in high school. In 1944 he went on tour with the Carolina Cotton Pickers (in which John Coltrane also played once). After his military service (with a military band) he studied at the Ornstein School of Music in Philadelphia, but already played as a student in the Red Garland quartet and with Philly Joe Jones . In 1958 he moved to New York , where he worked with Charles Mingus (in " Birdland " in 1960 and on Pre-Bird ), Cecil Taylor (with him he had his first recording in 1959 "Love for Sale" on Blue Note), Donald Byrd , Ted Curson and Philly Joe Jones played. He also recorded several albums under his own name, beginning with "Nebulae" and "Modern Windows Suite" in 1961 with Savoy. In 1964 he went on tour in Europe with Ted Curson, where she a. a. played at the Lugano Festival . In 1965 he was again in Europe (Belgium, Scandinavia), where he also composed for Danish and Scandinavian radio big bands. In New York he led his own groups and played in the 1960s a. a. with Grachan Moncur , Randy Weston and Cecil Taylor. In 1966 he went back to the Ornstein Music School in Philadelphia to graduate. In 1972 he went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst , where he received his doctorate in music education. He then became Professor and Head of Jazz Studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut; he held this position until his death.

He is the brother of Kenny Barron . Bill Barron is the oldest of five siblings.

Web links

• www.jokenrecords.com - Bill Barron Biography (English)
• Discography (English)