Walter Bishop Jr.
Walter Bishop Jr. | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Ibrahim ibn Ismail |
Born | New York City, New York, U.S. | October 4, 1927
Died | January 24, 1998 New York City | (aged 70)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Piano |
Years active | 1940s–1990s |
Labels | Black Lion, Prestige, Xanadu, Black Jazz, Muse, East Wind, Pony Canyon, Red, DIW |
Walter Bishop Jr. (October 4, 1927 – January 24, 1998) was an American jazz pianist.
Early life
Bishop was born in New York City on October 4, 1927.[1] He had at least two sisters, Marian and Beverly.[2] His father was composer Walter Bishop Sr.[2] In his teens, Bishop Jr.'s friends included future jazz musicians Kenny Drew, Sonny Rollins, and Art Taylor.[2] He was brought up in Harlem.[2] He left high school to play in dance bands in the area.[2] In 1945–47 he was in the Army Air Corps.[2] During his military service in 1947 Bishop was based near St Louis and met touring bebop musicians.[1]
Later life and career
Later in 1947, he returned to New York.[2] That year (or 1949[2]) he was part of drummer Art Blakey's band for 14 weeks and recorded with them.[1] Bishop developed his bebop playing in part by playing in jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse.[2]
He recorded with
After studying at
In the 1980s, Bishop taught at the University of Hartford.[2] By this time, he made frequent appearances at clubs and festivals in New York.[2] He also wrote a book, A Study in Fourths, about jazz improvisation based on cycles of fourths and fifths. His debut recording as a leader was in the 1960s.[2] He continued performing into the 1990s.
Bishop died of a heart attack at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manhattan on January 24, 1998.[2] He was survived by his wife, Keiko; his mother, and two sisters.[2]
Playing style
Bishop was influenced at an early stage by Bud Powell.[2] Later, Bishop was "known for holding back on the beat, a device that added tension to the music."[2]
Discography
As leader
Year recorded | Title | Label | Personnel/Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1961 | Speak Low | Jazztime | Trio, with Jimmy Garrison (bass), G.T. Hogan (drums); also released by Black Lion as Milestones |
1962 | A Pair of "Naturals" | Operators | Trio, with Butch Warren (bass), G.T. Hogan (drums); LP shared with Peter Yorke Orchestra |
1963 | Summertime | Cotillion | Trio, with Butch Warren (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums) |
1964–68 | Bish Bash | Xanadu | Some tracks trio, with Eddie Khan (bass), Dick Berk (drums); some tracks quartet, with Frank Haynes (tenor sax) added; some tracks trio with Reggie Johnson (bass), Idris Muhammad (drums) |
1971 | Coral Keys | Black Jazz | Most tracks quartet, with Harold Vick (flute, soprano sax, tenor sax), Reggie Johnson (bass), Alan Shwaetz Benger and Idris Muhammad (drums; separately); some tracks quintet, with Woody Shaw (trumpet) added |
1973 | Keeper of My Soul | Black Jazz | With Ronnie Laws (flute, sax), Woody Murray (vibraphone), Gerald Brown (bass, electric bass), Bahir Hassan (drums), Shakur M. Abdulla (congas, bongos) |
1974 | Valley Land | Muse | Trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
1975 | Soliloquy | Seabreeze | Solo piano |
1976 | Solo Piano | Interplay(Japan) | Solo piano. Recorded on October 21, 1976. |
1976 | Old Folks | East Wind | Trio, with Sam Jones (bass) Billy Higgins (drums) |
1977 | Soul Village | Muse | With Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn), George Young (soprano sax, alto sax), Gerry Niewood (tenor sax, flute), Steve Khan (guitar), Mark Egan (bass), Ed Soph (drums), Victoria (congas, percussion) |
1977–78 | Hot House | Muse | Some tracks trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Al Foster (drums); some tracks quintet, with Bill Hardman (trumpet), Junior Cook (tenor sax) added; released 1979 |
1978 | Cubicle | Muse | With Rene McLean (soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Joe Caro (guitar), Bob Cranshaw (Fender bass), Billy Hart (drums), Ray Mantilla (percussion); Mark Egan (Fender bass), Carmen Lundy (vocals) added for one or two tracks
|
1978 | The Trio | with Billy Hart, George Mraz | |
1988 | Just in Time | Interplay | Trio, with Paul Brown (bass), Walter Bolden (drums) |
1989 | Ode to Bird | Interplay | Trio, with Paul Brown (bass), Walter Bolden (drums) |
1990 | What's New | DIW | Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) |
1991 | Midnight Blue | Red | Trio, with Reggie Johnson (bass), Doug Sides (drums) |
1993 | Speak Low Again | Venus | Trio, with Paul Brown (bass), Al Harewood (drums)[3] |
Compilation
- 1965 The Walter Bishop Jr. Trio / 1965 (Prestige), compiles A Pair of "Naturals" and Summertime
As sideman
With Gene Ammons
- Up Tight! (Prestige, 1961)
- Boss Soul! (Prestige, 1961)
With Shorty Baker and Doc Cheatham
- Shorty & Doc (Swingville, 1961)
With Art Blakey
- Blakey (EmArcy, 1954)
- Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem, 1957)
With Rocky Boyd
- Ease It (Jazztime, 1961)
With Miles Davis
- Dig (Prestige, 1951)
- Collectors' Items (Prestige, 1956)
With Kenny Dorham
- Kenny Dorham Quintet (Debut, 1953)
- Inta Somethin' (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
With Curtis Fuller
- Boss of the Soul-Stream Trombone (Warwick, 1960)
- The Magnificent Trombone of Curtis Fuller (Epic, 1961)
- Fire and Filigree (Bee Hive, 1978)
With John Handy
- Jazz (Roulette, 1962)
With Bill Hardman
With Milt Jackson
- Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy, 1949)
With Ken McIntyre
- Looking Ahead(New Jazz, 1960)
With Jackie McLean
- Swing, Swang, Swingin' (Blue Note, 1959)
- Capuchin Swing (Blue Note, 1961)
With Blue Mitchell
- Blue Mitchell (Mainstream, 1971)
- Vital Blue (Mainstream, 1971)
With Hank Mobley
- Mobley's 2nd Message (Prestige, 1956)
With Charlie Parker
- Swedish Schnapps (Verve 1951) side 2
- Fiesta (Verve 1952)
- Charlie Parker Plays Cole Porter(Verve, 1954)
- One Night in Birdland (Columbia, 1950 [1977])
- Live at Rockland Palace (Parker Records, 1952 [1983])
With Oscar Pettiford
- The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet (Debut, 1953)
With Dizzy Reece
- Soundin' Off (Blue Note, 1960)
With Charlie Rouse
- Takin' Care of Business(Jazzland, 1960)
With Archie Shepp
- On Green Dolphin Street (Denon, 1978)
With Sonny Stitt
- Broadway Soul (Colpix, 1965)
With Harold Vick
- Commitment (Muse, 1967 [1974])
- The Brothers (Prestige, 1949)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Greene, Philip; Kernfeld, Barry "Bishop, Walter Jr.". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd edition). Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved February 18, 2016. Subscription required.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Ratliff, Ben (29 January 1998). "Walter Bishop Jr., 70, Jazz Pianist Who Rode Be-Bop's First Wave". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "Speak Low Again - Walter Bishop, Jr. | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2021.