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Bill McHenry

Bill McHenry is a saxophonist, composer and bandleader living in Brooklyn New York. He is known for his melodic/free form composing and improvising, demostrated most recently on his newest CD "ROSES".

New York Times critic Ben Ratliff writes: "Any musician who works so effectively against a common language, and uses cliché so little in the process, is worth listening to. There are tons of young jazz saxophonists out there pursuing ideas of harmony and structure and rhythm, but he has something rare going for him. He has a sound. Mr. McHenry is a fresh new voice: He can play with un-orthodox structure and get as free as you want, but he maintains a ripe, lovely tone straight out of the 1950's. Lyrical is probably the most overused word in jazz criticism, but if anyone deserves the word, Mr. McHenry is the one."

Since moving to New York in 1992 Bill started playing regularly in groups led by REID ANDERSON, GUILLERMO KLEIN, ETHAN IVERSON, REBECCA MARTIN, CHRIS LIGHTCAP, and BEN WALTZER as well as leading his own group with BEN MONDER. Eventually that group was joined with Reid and PAUL MOTIAN, and they recorded "Bill McHenry Quartet featuring Paul Motian", which led to Bill playing with that group several times over the next few years at the VILLAGE VANGUARD. Thier newest CD, "ROSES" has been recognized as the strongest yet and Bill continues to write and develop music for other settings.

Bill was born in Maine in 1972. His mother is a pianist, and his great great grandfather was Horatio Parker, a composer who was famous for teaching and failing Charles Ives. He started saxophone at ten and at fourteen went to Interlochen Arts Academy for four years, and then New England Conservatory for eight months. In 1992, Bill moved to New York. After playing little gigs and doing day jobs Bill moved with his sister Mary and high school friend pianist Ben Waltzer to Barcelona and spent two years going back and forth between the two cities. In Barcelona Bill started playing more regularly and with Ben recorded his first record for the Fresh Sound label in Barcelona. After returning to New York he studied long tone production with Dewey Redman which helped him strengthen his tone and identity. He has also played with CHARLIE HADEN, ANDREW CYRILLE, HENRY GRIMES, JOHN ABERCROMBIE, and NORAH JONES.

Bill will be in writer/director Tom McCarthy's new film "The Visitor" playing saxophone, improvsing and playing songs by his high school friend Mohammed N.

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9
Album Review

Eric Revis: Slipknots Through a Looking Glass

Read "Slipknots Through a Looking Glass" reviewed by John Sharpe


On Slipknots Through a Looking Glass, bassist Eric Revis helms a five strong unit to experimental ends juxtaposing emotionally ambiguous abstraction with gut punch drive. To cover the bases he unites saxophonists Bill McHenry and Darius Jones from the quartet which waxed In Memory Of Things Yet Seen (Clean Feed, 2014), with the pianist Kris Davis from Sing Me Some Cry (Clean Feed, 2017), along with drummer Chad Taylor who powered both. Joining on two numbers out of 11 is ...

4
Album Review

Eric Revis: Slipknots Through a Looking Glass

Read "Slipknots Through a Looking Glass" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero


Eccola la nuova formazione del contrabbassista Eric Revis, un incontro di storici collaboratori che promette meraviglie. Al quartetto che licenziò nel 2014 In the Memory of Things Yet Seen si aggiunge la pianista Kris Davis già presente nel precedente City of Asylum e nel successivo Sing Me Some Cry (tutti per Clean Feed) e il cerchio si chiude. Il percorso di Revis parte da lontano, l'esperienza iniziale con Betty Carter, la lunga permanenza nel quartetto di Branford Marsalis, ...

14
Album Review

Eric Revis: Slipknots Through a Looking Glass

Read "Slipknots Through a Looking Glass" reviewed by Troy Dostert


Bassist Eric Revis typically has so many ideas in play that it's virtually impossible for him to limit himself to one ensemble at a time. This is one of the reasons why he's used a variety of groups over the years to deliver his music. His trio with pianist Kris Davis and drummer Andrew Cyrille released City of Asylum (Clean Feed) in 2013, and then another iteration of the trio, Crowded Solitudes (Clean Feed) in 2016, with Gerald Cleaver taking ...

Album Review

Andrew D'Angelo: Andrew D'Angelo & DNA Orchestra

Read "Andrew D'Angelo & DNA Orchestra" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Dopo quasi un decennio di attività, la DNA Orchestra di Andrew D'Angelo debutta con questo vulcanico album (al momento reperibile solo su Bandcamp) che raccoglie alcuni brani scritti dal leader e presentati in passati concerti. Dopo le drammatiche notizie del 2008 sulla salute del sassofonista (due interventi chirurgici per un tumore al cervello e una lunga terapia “alternativa" scelta da lui) fa piacere vederlo tornare in attività con quella forza d'urto che l'aveva imposto sulla scena di ...

79
Album Review

Bill McHenry: Ghosts Of The Sun

Read "Ghosts Of The Sun" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


If the musical evidence on Ghosts Of The Sun is to be believed, Bill McHenry is looking to become a composer of new American Songs. The saxophonist has a distinctive flair for this type of writing, and with this delightful album he could easily begin a path to assembling a songbook not unlike what songwriters like Stephen Sondheim must have done decades ago. However, McHenry is not a librettist--at least not yet--nor has he looked for one, at least for ...

395
Multiple Reviews

Bill McHenry: Bloom & Narrow Margin

Read "Bill McHenry: Bloom & Narrow Margin" reviewed by Martin Longley


Ben Monder/Bill McHenryBloomSunnyside Records2010 Andrew GreenNarrow MarginMicrophonic2009 Brooklyn tenor man Bill McHenry can teeter on the lip of sonic extremity, but he's also well-versed in the art of post-Coleman Hawkins full-bodied-ness. These albums reveal him in two remarkably contrasting modes. McHenry's Bloom duo disc with guitarist Ben Monder is completely dedicated to mood and ...

308
Album Review

Bill McHenry Quintet: Sonic Pressure

Read "Sonic Pressure" reviewed by Farrell Lowe


In the world of music, some live performances stand out with distinction. There are nights where the bandstand can be a magical place, with the musicians expressing an added dimension to their normal artistry. Those nights are special and are, with luck, captured in a recording like this one. Sonic Pressure was recorded live at the Fat Cat Jazz Club in New York City in June of 2005, and captures tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry's quintet in fine form.

The album ...

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290

Recording

Ben Monder & Bill McHenry Release "Bloom" on BlueMusicGroup.com

Ben Monder & Bill McHenry Release "Bloom" on BlueMusicGroup.com

Source: All About Jazz


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Performance / Tour

John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet (Fri-Sat) Peter Van Huffel Quintet (Sun) This Weekend at Cornelia Street Cafe

John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet (Fri-Sat) Peter Van Huffel Quintet (Sun) This Weekend at Cornelia Street Cafe

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

CORNELIA STREET CAFE 29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York 212-989-9319 between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St. This Weekend At Cornelia Street Cafe Fri Nov 23, 9:00PM & 10:30PM JOHN MCNEIL/BILL MCHENRY QUARTET John McNeil, trumpet;Bill McHenry, saxophone;Ben Street, bass;Jochen Rueckert, drums Sat Nov 24 9:00PM & 10:30PM JOHN ...

128

Performance / Tour

South American Women Series (Mon-Tue) Malaby/Lightcap/Wilson (Wed) John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet (Fri) This Week at Cornelia Street Caf

South American Women Series (Mon-Tue) Malaby/Lightcap/Wilson (Wed) John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet (Fri) This Week at Cornelia Street Caf

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

CORNELIA STREET CAFE 29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York 212-989-9319 between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St. This Week At Cornelia Street Cafe Mon Nov 19, 8:30PM SOUTH AMERICAN WOMEN SERIES: VOCALISTS CREATING IN NY Sabrina Lastman, voice;Emilio Solla, piano;Pablo Asln, bass;Sofia Tosello, voice;Gabriel Hermidas, guitars;Julian Santillan, guitar;Jorge Roeder, bass;Dave Silliman, ...

157

Performance / Tour

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Big Band (Tues) Vince Giordano (Wed) the Brubeck Bros. w/Taylor Eigsti Mar. 8-11 (Late Nite Fri) Bill McHenry (Late Nite Sat) Leron Thomas' Other Music at the Iridium Jazz Club

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Big Band (Tues) Vince Giordano (Wed) the Brubeck Bros. w/Taylor Eigsti Mar. 8-11 (Late Nite Fri) Bill McHenry (Late Nite Sat) Leron Thomas' Other Music at the Iridium Jazz Club

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 8:30 & 10:30PM, Fri. & Sat. 3rd Sets AT MIDNIGHT Note: Set Times for Les Paul Remain at 8 & 10PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS TRIO JOHN COLIANNI - PIANO - LOU PALLO - GUITAR, NICKI PARROTT - BASS Note: Set Times for Les Paul Remain at 8 & 10PM Every Tuesday ...

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Event

Surprise Bill McHenry Show Thursday Night

Surprise Bill McHenry Show Thursday Night

Source: All About Jazz


185

Performance / Tour

John McNeil Quartet w/Bill McHenry Saturday, Feb. 5th at One Station Plaza

John McNeil Quartet w/Bill McHenry Saturday, Feb. 5th at One Station Plaza

Source: All About Jazz

Saturday, Feb. 5th John McNeil Quartet featuring John McNeil-trumpet Bill McHenry-tenor saxophone Ron Vincent- bass Mike McGuirk-drums at One Station Plaza 38 Division St Peekskill, NY 10566 (914) 736-1053 http://www.onestationplaza.com/ First set at 9:00 p.m. John McNeil's Sleep Won't Come (OmniTone) was named one of the Top 10 jazz releases of 2004 by David Adler of All About Jazz and Virginia Schaefer of Jazz Improv Magazine. The album received a four-star review in Downbeat and was given honorable mention by ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

A Moment In Transition

Fresh Sound New Talent
2023

buy

Slipknots Through a...

Pyroclastic Records
2020

buy

Ghosts Of The Sun

Sunnyside Records
2012

buy

Sonic Pressure

Fresh Sound Records
2009

buy

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