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Bill Moring
A veteran of the New York City jazz scene for over 20 years, bassist Bill Moring has established a reputation as one of the city's most in demand players. The versatile musician has proven himself equally adept at anchoring the big bands of legends Count Basie and Woody Herman, jammin' jazz/funk and beyond with the Dave Stryker/Steve Slagle quartet or stretching harmonic and rhythmic boundaries with John Hart and Chris Potter.
Bill was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1958. After high school, he attended Indiana State University for a year, also playing in cellist Hank Roberts group. He began gigging around Indianapolis and Cincinnati at the same time coming under the tutelage of local pianists Claude Sifferlen and Steve Allee. In 1980 he began working with John Von Ohlen’s big band, playing every Monday at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis, recording a live record that was Grammy nominated. Bill also had the opportunity to play locally with such notables as Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton, and Cal Collins.
Bill moved to New York City in 1984 and immediately began working with drummer Mel Lewis. His first road gig came when he joined Woody Herman's Thundering Herd in 1985. In 1986, Bill received a National Endowment for the Arts Grant to study with Rufus Reid. He continued his studies with the legendary Homer Mensch. In 1987, Bill got the gig with the Count Basie Orchestra and spent the next year touring, performing at the Hollywood Bowl, the North Sea, Umbria, Grande Parade Du Jazz, and Pori jazz festivals among other venues.
Bill is active today recording and performing with a wide variety of artists. Other big band experiences include the Village Vanguard Orchestra and the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Jazz Orchestra. He has played with renowned singers such as Joe Williams, Mel Torme, Diane Schurr, Dakota Staton, Maxine Sullivan, and Susannah McCorkle. He has played with jazz legends Frank Foster, Al Cohn, Clark Terry, Mickey Roker, Tommy Flanagan, Junior Cook, Roland Hanna, Vernel Fournier, Mel Lewis, and Ray Barretto. He has also performed and/or recorded with many contemporary artists including John Abercrombie, Gary Bartz, Manolo Badrena, Larry Coryell, Vic Juris, Dave Kikoski, Billy Hart, John Hart, Eddie Henderson, Joe Locke, Mulgrew Miller, Chris Potter, Dom Salvador, Dave Stryker, and James Williams.
An advocate of music education, Moring has hosted an assortment of student clinics at various high school and college jazz festivals in the US and abroad and is currently on the faculty at Montclair State University and the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops.
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Bill Moring & Way Out East: Spaces In Time
by Woodrow Wilkins
When five entities come together, each with a different idea, the results can be unpredictable. If, by coincidence those ideas complement one another, you’ve got the recipe for Spaces In Time: the sophomore release by Bill Moring and Way Out East.
Bassist Moring, has spent his career largely in support of other artists; among them the big bands of Count Basie and Woody Herman, singers Joe Williams, Mel Torme and Diane Schuur. His associations include Clark Terry, Ray ... read moreBill Moring and Way Out East in Teaneck, NJ
by David A. Orthmann
Bill Moring and Way Out East The Puffin Cultural Forum Teaneck, New JerseySeptember 13, 2008In the midst of the fourth and final selection of a fifty-minute set, Bill Moring and Way Out East transformed what had been an interesting performance to something extraordinary. The magic occurred during a lengthy series of exchanges between tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost and trumpeter Jack Walrath on the latter's composition, Balls of Everything." At the onset of the ...
read moreBill Moring at Enzo's
by Budd Kopman
Enzo's Jazz at The Jolly Hotel Madison Towers (22 East 38th Street at Madison Avenue) in the Whaler Bar off the Lobby in New York City is a new room for jazz, open only a few weeks. As Bill Moring stated at the end of the second set, New York City is much different than when I started out twenty years ago, and needs more places like this." What he meant was that NYC needs more venues for jazz that ...
read moreBill Moring: Way Out East
by Rob Mariani
I wish this CD had more detailed liner notes on each of these players and a little history of the group. They're a really interesting band and frankly, I'd never heard of them before. Bill Moring and his cohorts seem completely at home in this cordless" context and his rich, driving acoustic bass playing more than makes up for the lack of piano or guitar comping.
Drummer Steve Johns fleshes out the rhythm section with a time feeling that's very ...
read moreJohn Richmond QT with George Cables, Bill Moring, Steve Johns-Sweet Rhythm-Wed Sept 12
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Tenor and soprano saxophonist John Richmond Quartet return engagement
Sweet Rhythm Wednesday September 12, 2007 Sets 8pm and 10pm
with: George Cables, piano Bill Moring, bass Steve Johns, drums
88 Seventh Avenue South (at Bleecker St) New York, NY 10014 (212) 255-3626
Saxophonist John Richmond was one of the most promising young voices on his instrument when he emerged in the eighties playing with the bands ...
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Bill Moring and Way Out East CD Release Party at Enzo's Jazz Friday, November 4th 7pm and 9pm
Source:
All About Jazz
October 31, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES CD Release Party Bill Moring and Way Out East Jack Walrath - trpt Marc Mommaas - saxophone Anthony Pinciotti - drums Friday, November 4th Enzo's Jazz at The Jolly Hotel Madison Towers 22 East 38th Street (at Madison Avenue) in the Whaler Bar located in the Lobby. Antipasti served by Ristorante Cinque Terre . $15. cover charge, 1 drink minimum. Sets are at 7pm and 9pm These world-class artists travel the ...
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Bill Moring and Way Out East Tues. June 7th John Birks Gillespie Auditorium 8:00 and 10:00 pm
Source:
All About Jazz
June 6, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Bill Moring and Way Out East featuring Bill Moring-bass, Jack Walrath-trpt., Tim Armacost-saxophones, Steve Johns-drums appearing at John Birks Gillespie Auditorium in the New York City Baha'i Center, 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). 8:00 and 10:00 pm Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students. Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information. http://www.billmoring.com celebrating the ...
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Bill Moring and Way Out East Tues. June 7th John Birks Gillespie Auditorium 8:00 and 10:00 pm
Source:
All About Jazz
May 31, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Bill Moring and Way Out East featuring Bill Moring-bass, Jack Walrath-trpt., Tim Armacost-saxophones, Steve Johns-drums appearing at John Birks Gillespie Auditorium in the New York City Baha'i Center, 53 East 11th Street (between University Place & Broadway). 8:00 and 10:00 pm Admission is 15.00, $10.00 for students. Tickets will be sold at the door, or call 212-222-5159 for reservations and information. http://www.billmoring.com celebrating the forthcoming release ...
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