William Galison

born on 19/2/1958 in New York City, NY, United States

William Galison

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Alexander Galison (born 19 February 1958) is an American jazz musician, widely known as a harmonica player, but also known as a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer.[1]

Early life and rise to fame

Galison was born and raised in New York City, New York. As a child, he started to study piano, but at the age of eight decided to switch to guitar having been inspired by The Beatles. He developed a love of jazz in high school and subsequently attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He decided to change to the harmonica because "I was one of a million guitarists at Berklee"[1] and it was easy to carry around.[2] He became Berklee's only harmonica player. He toured extensively in Europe with Billy Leadbelly (Bill Gough from Hatfield UK).[1] Among his role models at the time were Toots Thielemans and Stevie Wonder.[1]

After Berklee, he studied further at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, then returned to New York in 1982. He swiftly developed a good reputation as a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.[1]

He performed at various New York venues including The Village Gate, The Blue Note and the Lone Star Cafe with legendary jazz musicians Jaco Pastorius and Jaki Byard. He also played with his own group at Preacher's Cafe in Greenwich Village.[1]

Collaborations and recordings

Galison has worked with a diverse range of artists including Carly Simon, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Chaka Khan and Astrud Gilberto. He has performed Gordon Jacob's "Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra" and toured the USA in the Broadway musical, Big River. He has also recorded soundtracks for films, most notably Academy Award nominees The Untouchables and Bagdad Café.[1] His harmonica is also heard on the Sesame Street theme ("a great honor")[2] and countless commercials.[1] Other television work includes Oz and Saturday Night Live.[3]

One of his major influences and role models, Toots Thielmans, once described him as "the most original and individual of the new generation of harmonica players".[1]

Some of his more notable contributions:

  • Anna Maria Jopek - Bosa / Barefoot
  • Christy Baron - Steppin'
  • Ruth Brown - Songs Of My Life
  • Kathie Lee Gifford - Born For You
  • John Gorka - Temporary Road
  • Deborah Henson-Conant - Talking Hands
  • Chaka Khan - Woman I Am
  • Peggy Lee - Peggy Lee Songbook
  • Maureen McGovern - Baby I'm Yours
  • Bob McGrath - Sing Me A Story
  • Ivan Neville - Thanks
  • Craig Peyton - Tropical Escape
  • Craig Peyton - Web
  • Ruben Rada - Montevideo
  • Jon Secada - Amor
  • Louise Taylor - Ride
  • Tony Terry - Tony Terry
  • Dar Williams - End Of Summer
  • Dar Williams - Mortal City
  • Bill Gough - Sounds of Hatfield
  • Soundtrack - Bagdad Café
  • Soundtrack - Bean
  • Soundtrack - Crooklyn
  • Soundtrack - Prelude To A Kiss
  • Soundtrack - Tremors
  • Soundtrack - The Truth about Cats and Dogs
  • Soundtrack - The Untouchables
  • Soundtrack - Way West
  • Various Artists - Carols Of Christmas
  • Various Artists - Red, Hot & Rio

Love Letters

'Love Letters' by Janet Seidel and William Galison was released in 2001. Seidel is an Australian singer and piano player. ABC Fine Music magazine gave the album a glowing review, saying: "a sheen of quiet sophistication is everywhere apparent."

Seidel and Galison toured Queensland, Australia's jazz clubs to promote the album, which was well received by audiences and critics alike.[4]

Got You On My Mind and Madeleine Peyroux

In 2002, Galison met jazz singer and guitarist Madeleine Peyroux in a bar on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York City.[5] They started to play music together and eventually moved in together.[5]

By the end of the year Peyroux had moved out and the couple broken up, but they continued playing together and recorded a seven song CD called Got You on My Mind in February 2003.[5] Peyroux and Galison maintained a stormy on-again-off-again relationship and Peyroux alleges that Galison became abusive at times; Galison denies the allegation.[5]

As Peyroux's career accelerated an acrimonious legal dispute developed. Her contract with Rounder Records prohibited her from selling the Got You on My Mind recording and she stopped performing with Galison.[5] Galison continued to sell the recording and claimed that he was owed payment for canceled performances.[5]

The two artists and Peyroux's record label commenced an extended series of lawsuits and court cases.[5]

His gear

Galison uses a wide range of instruments and equipment, including, but not limited to, the following:

Harmonicas

  • Hohner 270 Chromomica in B
  • Hohner 280 '64 Chromonica'
  • Hohner 'Toots Hard Bopper' with F&R Farrell 'lifetime comb'
  • Hohner 'Toots Mellow Tone' with F&R Farrell 'lifetime comb'
  • Filisko blues harps
  • Mark Lavoie smoked maple combs

Microphones and other equipment

  • Audio Technica ATM45 dynamic microphone
  • Trace Elliot Acoustic Cube Amplifier
  • Neumann km 54 microphone
  • Korg footpedal
  • Shure wireless system[3]

Galison has said: "I endorse Hohner, and think they do make the best sounding harmonica."[3]

Discography

  • 1988: Overjoyed (Polygram)
  • 1997: Midnight Sun (Eclipse Collage)
  • 2000: Waking Up With You (JVC)
  • 2001: Love Letters (with Janet Seidel) (La Brava Music)
  • 2004: Got You on My Mind (Wake Up Music)[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Jazz Police
  2. 2.0 2.1 NPR interview, 2004
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 WILLIAM GALISON Jazz harmonica player
  4. CD Baby: JANET SEIDEL & WILLIAM GALISON: Love Letters
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Skinner, David, The Sound and the Fury, Boston Magazine, December 2005. URL accessed on 1 December 2012.
  6. philbrodieband tribute page

External links

  • Jazz Police review of GYOMM
  • NPR (audio) interview, January 18, 2004
  • IMDb profile
This page was last modified 27.10.2013 18:52:43

This article uses material from the article William Galison from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.