Billy Mitchell

born on 3/11/1926 in Kansas City, MO, United States

died on 18/4/2001 in Rockville, NY, United States

Billy Mitchell (jazz musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Billy Mitchell (November 3, 1926 – April 18, 2001)[1] was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Mitchell was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Known for his close association with fellow Detroit based player Thad Jones and work with a variety of big bands including Woody Herman's when he replaced Gene Ammons. In 1949 Mitchell recorded with the Milt Buckner band, and from 1956 to 1957 he played with Dizzy Gillespie in his big band.

From 1957 until 1961 and from 1966 to 1967 Mitchell played with Count Basie, having replaced Lockjaw Davis. In the early 1960s he co-led a group with Al Grey, and also served as musical director to Stevie Wonder for a short time during this period. Mitchell was an exponent of hard-driving post-bop. He died in Rockville Centre, NY,

He is not to be confused with another Billy Mitchell, a jazz-piano keyboardist whose career was most notably with Optimism Records in the 1980s.

Discography

As Leader

As Sideman

With Count Basie

  • Strike Up the Band (Roulette, 1959)
  • Chairman of the Board (Roulette, 1959)

With Tony Bennett

  • In Person! (Columbia, 1958)

With Dizzy Gillespie

  • World Statesman (Norgran, 1956)
  • Dizzy in Greece (Verve, 1957)
  • Birks' Works (Verve, 1957)
  • Dizzy Gillespie at Newport (Verve, 1957)

With Jimmy Heath

  • Little Man, Big Band (Verve, 1992)

With Milt Jackson

  • Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy, 1949)
  • Roll 'Em Bags (Savoy, 1949)

With Thad Jones

  • Detroit-New York Junction (Blue Note, 1956)
  • The Magnificent Thad Jones (Blue Note, 1956)

With Bernard Purdie

  • Stand By Me (Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get) (Mega, 1971)

References

  1. [Billy Mitchell (jazz musician) at All Music Guide Allmusc]
This page was last modified 22.04.2014 05:20:00

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