Billy Childs

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Billy Childs
Childs, 2008
Childs, 2008
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Edward Childs
Born (1957-03-08) March 8, 1957 (age 67)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
Years active1977–present
LabelsStretch Records

William Edward Childs (born March 8, 1957) is an American composer, jazz pianist, arranger and conductor from Los Angeles, California, United States.[1][2]

Early life

When he was 16, Childs attended the Community School of the Performing Arts sponsored by the University of Southern California. He studied music theory with Marienne Uszler and piano with John Weisenfluh. From 1975 to 1979, Childs attended the University of Southern California and received a degree in composition under the tutelage of Robert Linn.[3]

While still a teen, Childs was playing professionally and he made his recording debut in 1977 with the J. J. Johnson Quintet during a tour of Japan, documented as "the Yokohama Concert". Childs gained significant attention during the six years (1978–84) he spent in trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's group. His early influences as a pianist included Herbie Hancock, Keith Emerson, and Chick Corea, and as a composer, Paul Hindemith, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky.

His sister is the playwright Kirsten Childs.[4][5]

Solo albums

Childs's solo jazz recording career began in 1988, when he released Take for Example, This..., the first of four critically acclaimed albums on Windham Hill Jazz. He followed that album with Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), His April Touch (1992), and Portrait of a Player (1993). Chick Corea asked Childs to join his label, Stretch Records. Childs's next album, I've Known Rivers, appeared on Stretch/GRP (now Stretch/Concord) in 1995. This was followed by The Child Within on Shanachie Records in 1996.

Arranging

In 2000, Childs arranged, orchestrated and conducted Dianne Reeves's project The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan,[1] which won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Other artists and producers for whom Childs has arranged include Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Botti, Gladys Knight, Michael Bublé, David Foster, Phil Ramone, and Claudia Acuña.

Jazz chamber ensemble

The Ensemble in 2015

In 2001, Childs formed a chamber jazz group consisting of piano, bass, drums, acoustic guitar, harp, and woodwinds. Sometimes the core group is augmented by string quartet, woodwind quintet, or both. Childs was influenced by Laura Nyro's collaborations with Alice Coltrane (on Christmas and the Beads of Sweat) and by a desire to merge classical and jazz music.[6] In 2005, the ensemble released its first album, Lyric, Jazz-Chamber Music, Vol. 1, which was nominated for three 2006 Grammy awards: Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Instrumental Composition, and Best Arrangement, winning for best instrumental composition, "Into the Light".

Awards and honors

Classical commissions

  • 1993: Los Angeles Philharmonic, "Tone Poem for Holly" (Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor)
  • 1994: Los Angeles Philharmonic, "Fanfare for the United Races of America" (EsaPekka Salonen conductor)
  • 1995: Akron Symphony Orchestra, "The Distant Land" (Alan Balter conductor)
  • 1997: Akron Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, "Just Like Job" (Alan Balter conductor)
  • 1997: Dorian Wind Quintet, "A Day in the Forest of Dreams" (Billy Childs piano, with Dorian Wind Quintet)
  • 2004: Los Angeles Philharmonic, "For Suzanne" (Dianne Reeves vocal soloist, Billy Childs piano soloist)
  • 2005: Los Angeles Master Chorale, "The Voices of Angels" (Grant Gershon conductor)
  • 2007: American Brass Quintet, "2 Elements" (Billy Childs piano, with American Brass Quintet)
  • 2007: Fontana Chamber Arts, "The Path Among the Trees" (Billy Childs JazzChamber Ensemble with Ying Quartet)
  • 2009: Pacific Serenades, "String Quartet No. 1"[8]
  • 2010: Detroit Symphony, "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra" (Regina Carter, soloist)
  • 2012: Ying Quartet, "Awakening String Quartet No. 2" (The Ying Quartet)
  • 2022: Young Concert Artists (and a consortium of nine orchestras), "Diaspora: Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra" (Steven Banks, soloist)[9]

Jazz commissions

Discography

As leader

Title Label Year released Notes
Midland Lunacy Records 1985
Take for Example This... Windham Hill 1988
Twilight Is Upon Us Windham Hill 1989 Top Jazz Albums 11[7]
His April Touch Windham Hill 1991
Portrait of a Player Windham Hill 1993 Top Jazz Albums 12[7]
I've Known Rivers Stretch 1995
The Child Within Shanachie 1996
Skim Coat Metropolitan 1999
Bedtime Stories 32 Jazz 2000
Lyric: Jazz Chamber Music Vol. 1 Lunacy Music 2005 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (Into the Light)
Autumn: In Moving Pictures (Jazz Chamber Music Vol. 2) Lunacy Music 2009 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (The Path Among the Trees)
Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro Sony Masterworks 2014 Top Jazz Albums 1, The Billboard 200 104[7]
Rebirth Mack Avenue 2017 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Acceptance Mack Avenue 2020
The Winds of Change Mack Avenue 2023 Quartet, with Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Scott Colley (bass), Brian Blade (drums)

Main source:[10]

As sideman

With Chris Botti

With Lou Rawls

  • Seasons 4 U (Rawls & Brokaw, 1998)[11][12]

With Bunky Green

With J. J. Johnson and Nat Adderley

References

  1. ^ a b Berlanga-Ryan, Esther (12 April 2011). "Billy Childs: The Perfect Picture". All About Jazz. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  2. ^ "Billy Childs Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  3. ^ a b "Billy Childs: 2009 - US & Canada Competition Creative Arts - Music Composition". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  4. ^ Nesti, Robert (16 November 2006). "Kirsten Childs on "Bubbly Black Girl"". EDGE Media Network. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017.
  5. ^ Luppi, Kathleen (17 October 2014). "Tapping the 'Treasure' of singer-songwriter Laura Nyro". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017.
  6. ^ Wardle, Renato (11 October 2005). "Billy Childs Ensemble: Lyric: Jazz-Chamber Music Vol. 1 (2005)". All About Jazz. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d "Billy Childs: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Maurice Ravel, meet Billy Childs". Artsmeme.com. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  9. ^ Green, Anthony R. (February 2024). "Program Notes: Feb 9–10" (PDF). Minnesota Orchestra. pp. 32–33. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Billy Childs: Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Lou Rawls – Seasons 4 U". Discogs. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Lou Rawls – Seasons 4 U: Images". Discogs. Retrieved 20 May 2024.

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