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Billy Childs was born in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1957. His parents were both teachers in the Los Angeles school district and they encouraged their son to play the piano they had in their home. |
At age 6, Billy began taking structured piano lessons, though at first, he was less than interested in studying music. It was not until several years later, when Billy was sent to boarding school that "out of sheer boredom," he began to devote himself to the piano.
His musical sensibilities were influenced by his sisters -- one who was into Motown and James Brown; the other who listened to Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and Joni Mitchell -- and a neighbor who introduced him to jazz. He continued studying piano and learning tunes on his own, and at age16, was accepted into the Community School for the Performing Arts, a music preparatory school affiliated with the University of Southern California. He later attended USC and graduated with a BA in music composition.
His jazz education was cemented after a six-year association with Freddie Hubbard. He wasted no time launching his own solo career with a series of four albums on the Windham Hill label. His fifth release, 1995's I've Known Rivers, released on Chick Corea's Stetch label, contained the Grammy nominated composition, "The Starry Night." His next release, The Child Within, garnered two Grammy nominations -- one for Best Instrumental Composition and one for Best Performance by a Jazz Group.
In addition to sideman gigs that have included work with Joe Locke, Grover Washington Jr., Donald Harrison, and Delfayo Marsalis, Childs has been an in-demand conductor and arranger for the likes of Claudia Acuna, Chris Botti and Diane Reeves. Childs has also been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and his works have been performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Childs' latest CD, Lyric, features his Jazz Chamber Ensemble and includes the song, "Into The Light" nominated for a Grammy in 2005 for Best Instrumental Composition.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
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Set List for Billy Childs on Piano Jazz:Hope In The Face of Despair (Childs)
Scarborough Fair (Traditional, Childs Arr.)
Alone Together (Dietz, Schwartz)
I'm All Smiles (Leonard, Martin)
You Don't Know What Love Is (DePaul, Raye)
Portrait of Billy Childs (McPartland)
Straight No Chaser (Monk)
His musical sensibilities were influenced by his sisters -- one who was into Motown and James Brown; the other who listened to Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and Joni Mitchell -- and a neighbor who introduced him to jazz. He continued studying piano and learning tunes on his own, and at age16, was accepted into the Community School for the Performing Arts, a music preparatory school affiliated with the University of Southern California. He later attended USC and graduated with a BA in music composition.
His jazz education was cemented after a six-year association with Freddie Hubbard. He wasted no time launching his own solo career with a series of four albums on the Windham Hill label. His fifth release, 1995's I've Known Rivers, released on Chick Corea's Stetch label, contained the Grammy nominated composition, "The Starry Night." His next release, The Child Within, garnered two Grammy nominations -- one for Best Instrumental Composition and one for Best Performance by a Jazz Group.
In addition to sideman gigs that have included work with Joe Locke, Grover Washington Jr., Donald Harrison, and Delfayo Marsalis, Childs has been an in-demand conductor and arranger for the likes of Claudia Acuna, Chris Botti and Diane Reeves. Childs has also been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and his works have been performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Childs' latest CD, Lyric, features his Jazz Chamber Ensemble and includes the song, "Into The Light" nominated for a Grammy in 2005 for Best Instrumental Composition.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Billy Childs on Piano Jazz: