Bill Charlap
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Morrison Charlap
Born (1966-10-15) October 15, 1966 (age 57)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1990–present
LabelsChiaroscuro, Criss Cross, Blue Note, Double-Time, Venus, Impulse!
Websitewww.billcharlap.com

William Morrison Charlap (born October 15, 1966, pronounced "Shar-Lap"[1]) is an American jazz pianist. In 2016, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, an album produced by Charlap and Tony Bennett, won the award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Early life and education

Born in New York City,[2] Bill Charlap comes from a musical background. His father was the composer Moose Charlap. His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a singer who was a regular on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall television series and had a hit recording in 1962 with "My Coloring Book".[2][3] Charlap is a distant cousin of the jazz pianist Dick Hyman.[4]

Charlap began playing piano at the age of three.[2] He studied classical music, but his career has been in jazz.

Career

Charlap recorded Love Is Here to Stay (2004) and Something to Remember (2012) with his mother, Sandy Stewart. His albums Somewhere, featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at The Village Vanguard received Grammy Award nominations.

He has worked with Gerry Mulligan, Benny Carter, Tony Bennett, Phil Woods, Scott Hamilton, Ron Carter, and others. In the mid-1990s, he was the musical director of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, A Celebration of Johnny Mercer, part of New York's JVC Jazz Festival.[5] In 1995, he joined the Phil Woods Quintet.[3]

Charlap appears at least twice a year for engagements at jazz clubs, including the Village Vanguard,[6] with his rhythm section, consisting of Peter Washington (double bass) and Kenny Washington (drums) (the two are not related to each other). Since 2001, he has recorded as a member of the New York Trio for the Japanese label Venus Records. The other members of the New York Trio are bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Stewart.[7]

Charlap succeeded Dick Hyman as artistic director of New York City's 92nd Street Y Jazz in July six-program series after Hyman's 20th year in 2004. He and his wife, Canadian jazz pianist Renee Rosnes, released an album of piano duets Double Portrait on Blue Note Records/EMI.[8]

In 2008, Charlap became part of The Blue Note 7, a septet formed that year in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. The group recorded an album in 2008, Mosaic, which was released in 2009 on Blue Note/EMI, and toured the United States in promotion of the album from January to April 2009.[9] The group plays the music of Blue Note Records from various artists, with arrangements by members of the band and his wife Renee Rosnes.

In September 2015, Charlap became the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.[2]

Personal life

He married the Canadian jazz pianist Renee Rosnes in New York City on August 25, 2007.[10] He has two daughters from a previous marriage and one stepson from Rosnes’ previous marriage to Billy Drummond.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

Year recorded Title Label Year released Notes
1991–1993 Along with Me Chiaroscuro 1994 Trio, with Sean Smith & Andy Eulau (bass; separately), Ron Vincent (drums)
1993 Bill Charlap & Sean Smith Progressive 1993 Co-leader duo, with Sean Smith (bass)
1993 Piano & Bass Progressive 1994 Co-leader duo, with Sean Smith (bass)
1995? Michael Moore/Bill Charlap Concord Jazz 1995 Co-leader duo, with Michael Moore (bass)
1995 Souvenir Criss Cross Jazz 1995 Trio, with Scott Colley (bass), Dennis Mackrel (drums)
1996 The Gerry Mulligan Songbook Chiaroscuro 1997 A posthumous tribute to Gerry Mulligan (saxophone), with former members Ted Rosenthal (piano), Dean Johnson (bass), Ron Vincent (drums)
1996 Distant Star Criss Cross Jazz 1997 Trio, with Sean Smith (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)
1997 All Through the Night Criss Cross Jazz 1998 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
1998 'S Wonderful Venus 1999 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2000 Written in the Stars Blue Note 2000 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2000 Contrasts Double-Time 2001 Co-leader, duo with Jon Gordon (alto sax)
2000 2gether Nagel-Heyer 2001 Co-leader, with Warren Vaché (cornet, flugelhorn)
2001 Artfully Urban Beauty 2001 The European Jazz Piano Trio (Mark Hodgson bass), Stephen Keogh (drums))
2001 Blues in the Night Venus 2001 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2001 Stardust Blue Note 2003 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums),
plus guests Tony Bennett (vocals), Frank Wess (tenor sax), Jim Hall (guitar), Shirley Horn (vocals)
2002 The Things We Did Last Summer Venus 2002 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2003 Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein Blue Note 2004 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2003 Love You Madly Venus 2003 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2003 Live at the Village Vanguard Blue Note 2007 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums); in concert
2004 You Taught My Heart to Sing HighNote 2006 Co-leader, duo with Houston Person (tenor sax)
2004 Love is Here to Stay Blue Note 2005 Co-leader, with Sandy Stewart (vocals)
2004 Stairway to the Stars Venus 2005 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2005 Plays George Gershwin: The American Soul Blue Note 2005 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums),
plus guests Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Slide Hampton (trombone), Phil Woods (alto sax), Frank Wess (tenor sax)
2005 Begin the Beguine Venus 2006 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2006 Thou Swell Venus 2007 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2007 Always Venus 2008 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums))
2008 Stardust Venus 2008 New York Trio (Jay Leonhart (bass), Bill Stewart (drums)) with Ken Peplowski
2009 I'm Old Fashioned Venus 2010 with Peter Bernstein (guitar), Peter Washington (bass)
2009 Double Portrait Blue Note 2010 Co-leader piano duet, with Renee Rosnes (piano)
2011 Something to Remember Ghostlight 2012 Co-leader, with Sandy Stewart (vocals)
2015? The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern Columbia 2015 Co-leader, with Tony Bennett (vocals)
with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2015 Notes from New York Impulse! 2016 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2017 Uptown, Downtown Impulse![11] 2017 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
2021 Street of Dreams Blue Note[12] 2021 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)

As a member

The Blue Note 7

Other Blue Note appearances

As sideman

References

  1. ^ Beckerman, Jim (August 26, 2015). "Jazzman Bill Charlap takes over as Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson". northjersey.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bill Charlap Named Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University, Continuing a Legacy of Excellence Dating to Program's Founding in 1973". William Paterson University. June 30, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Adler, David R. "Bill Charlap". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Bill Charlap biography". Managram Music. Archived from the original on March 25, 2011.
  5. ^ "Bill Charlap". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  6. ^ "Bill Charlap Trio: Live At The Village Vanguard". NPR. October 8, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  7. ^ Fred Bouchard (December 7, 2008). "New York Trio: Thou Swell & Always". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  8. ^ "Bill Charlap & Renee Rosnes Announce Tour Dates; Reveal Cover Artwork for 'Double Portrait'". Blue Note Records. May 5, 2010. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  9. ^ "The Blue Note 7 Celebrates 70 Years of Blue Note Records With Album Release and 50+ City North American Tour". All About Jazz. September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  10. ^ "Bill Charlap, Renee Rosnes Duet In 'Double Portrait'". NPR. June 25, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  11. ^ "Bill Charlap | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  12. ^ "Bill Charlap Trio – Street of Dreams". Blue Note Records.

External links

Authority control databases
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