Bill Summers (musician)
Bill Summers (* 20th May 1948 ) is an American percussionist of Jazz Funk , who also works as a music producer.
life and work
Summers was educated at the Detroit Conservatory from 1953 to 1963; from 1970 to 1974 he studied ethnomusicology at the University of California, Berkeley and began to deal intensively with African rhythms. With Herbie Hancock he recorded the album Head Hunters in 1973 (and then numerous others until 1980) and belonged to the group The Headhunters , which was revived in 1998, to whose repertoire he contributed and with which he was last in Europe in 2008. In addition, he started his own career, released several albums under his own name and with Summers Heat . He was also part of Walter Payton's trio . As a studio musician he worked with Nina Simone , George Benson , Stanley Clarke , John Singleton , Bennie Maupin ( The Jewel in the Lotus 1974) and Salif Keïta , for whom he composed and arranged as well as for Dianne Reeves and Joe Zawinul . He also went on extensive tours with Kool & the Gang , Dianne Reeves, Earth, Wind and Fire , Anita Baker and George Duke .
He also worked with Los Hombres Calientes , a group inspired by Latin American rhythms and fusion , which he has led with trumpeter Irvin Mayfield since 1998 . His former wife Yvette Bostic-Summers sings on the Los Hombres albums.
He also worked on various Quincy Jones film scores , such as The Color Purple and the music for the television series Roots .
Discographic notes
- Feel the Heat ( Prestige , 1976)
- Cayenne (Prestige, 1977)
- Straight to the Bank (Prestige, 1978)
- On Sunshine (Prestige, 1979)
- Call it What You Want ( MCA , 1980) (US # 129)
- Jam the Box (MCA, 1981) (US # 92)
- Seventeen (MCA, 1982)
- Iroko (Vital Records, 1992)
- Essence of Kwanzaa (Monkey Hill, 1997)
- Studies in Bata: Sacred Drum of the Yoruba, Havana to Matanzas (Bilsum Music, 2002)
Singles
| year | title | Chart placements | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Black Singles | US disco singles | ||
| 1977 | "Come Into My Life" | # 84 | - |
| 1979 | "Straight to the bank" | # 45 | # 34 |
| 1981 | "Call it What You Want" | # 16 | # 21 |
| 1982 | "At the Concert" | # 38 | - |
Individual evidence
- ^ Biography of Bill Summers at allmusic
- ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000765991/awards Billboard Singles. Allmusic.com.
Web links
- Bill Summers at Allmusic (English)
- Bill Summers discography on allmusic
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Summers, Bill |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz percussionist and music producer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 20, 1948 |