Jazz Fusion Pioneer Will Boulware's CDs Feature Yamaha
BUENA PARK, CA (February 4, 2005) Pianist and composer Will Boulware was an early leader in the New York City jazz fusion scene, and has been a member of The Maceo Parker Band for the past decade. He has also toured with The Blues Brothers, John Scofield and Carla Bley, among others, and is featured on recordings by B. B. King, Rodney Jones and Parker. As leader of his own bands, Boulware has created a huge buzz in the past few years.
Two of his most recent CDs one with his band Will & Rainbow (Over Crystal Green, 441 Records, 2003) and a new release by The Will B. Band (Take Five, Eighty-Eight's, 2005) were recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City using a Yamaha C7 conservatory grand piano. Yasohachi "88" Itoh produced all three of Boulware's latest recordings, including Harmony (441 Records, 2004), which featured three tracks with Phoebe Snow; all of these Boulware recordings were engineered by the late David Baker.
"The Yamaha C7 at Avatar is a wonderful sounding piano," says Boulware. "It has a great tone, even action, and, especially on my new trio record, a real singing quality. One thing that impressed me was how well it sustains notes, which is what you want in a piano; you want it to play a long note in a melodic way, and not die out quickly. It also has a very clear bass tone, with a great middle and high end," he adds, "a very warm, clear tone. It hardly even needed any tweaks when the tuner came in each day."
Boulware started playing piano at six years old, played his first lounge gig at 12, and joined an R&B group at 14. He soon formed his own trio and started writing and playing his own tunes. Following two years of study with Romanian pianist, Yansi Korosi, Boulware moved to New York City in 1973 and quickly made a name for himself among the most innovative jazz artists.
His band, Will & Rainbow, featuring saxophonist Michael Brecker and members of the group Stuff, recorded Over Crystal Green in 1976 with "88" as the producer. In 2000, when Boulware performed with Maceo Parker at the Tokyo Blue Note, he reconnected with "88," who suggested he go back into the studio with a more modern jazz approach. Brecker returned for the session, joined by saxophonist Bob Berg, trumpeter Randy Brecker, drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Will Lee, guitarist Peter Bernstein and keyboardist Jon Werking.
The result, Over Crystal Green, climbed to #1 on the HVC Jazz Fusion charts, and earned Swing Journal's Gold Disk Award. CyberFusion placed it among 2002's Best Jazz Fusion Albums and JazzTimes wrote, "The album proves that the intervening years have clearly not diminished their rapport Over Crystal Green is a great example of deep musical connections from outstanding musicians."
Boulware's CD with The Will B. Band, Take Five, slated for Japanese release in January 2005, features Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Billy Kilson on drums. For more information, visit http://www.441records.com and http://www.village-records.com.
To learn more, write Yamaha Corporation of America at P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; or telephone (714) 522-9011.
Jazz fusion artist Will Boulware |
"The Yamaha C7 at Avatar is a wonderful sounding piano," says Boulware. "It has a great tone, even action, and, especially on my new trio record, a real singing quality. One thing that impressed me was how well it sustains notes, which is what you want in a piano; you want it to play a long note in a melodic way, and not die out quickly. It also has a very clear bass tone, with a great middle and high end," he adds, "a very warm, clear tone. It hardly even needed any tweaks when the tuner came in each day."
Boulware started playing piano at six years old, played his first lounge gig at 12, and joined an R&B group at 14. He soon formed his own trio and started writing and playing his own tunes. Following two years of study with Romanian pianist, Yansi Korosi, Boulware moved to New York City in 1973 and quickly made a name for himself among the most innovative jazz artists.
His band, Will & Rainbow, featuring saxophonist Michael Brecker and members of the group Stuff, recorded Over Crystal Green in 1976 with "88" as the producer. In 2000, when Boulware performed with Maceo Parker at the Tokyo Blue Note, he reconnected with "88," who suggested he go back into the studio with a more modern jazz approach. Brecker returned for the session, joined by saxophonist Bob Berg, trumpeter Randy Brecker, drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Will Lee, guitarist Peter Bernstein and keyboardist Jon Werking.
The result, Over Crystal Green, climbed to #1 on the HVC Jazz Fusion charts, and earned Swing Journal's Gold Disk Award. CyberFusion placed it among 2002's Best Jazz Fusion Albums and JazzTimes wrote, "The album proves that the intervening years have clearly not diminished their rapport Over Crystal Green is a great example of deep musical connections from outstanding musicians."
Boulware's CD with The Will B. Band, Take Five, slated for Japanese release in January 2005, features Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Billy Kilson on drums. For more information, visit http://www.441records.com and http://www.village-records.com.
To learn more, write Yamaha Corporation of America at P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; or telephone (714) 522-9011.
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