Bill Crow

Biography

Crow was born in Othello, Washington but spent his childhood in Kirkland, Washington. In fourth grade, he took up the trumpet.After high school, he briefly played sousaphone at the University of Washington in Seattle. When he joined the Army in 1946, he played baritone horn, trombone, and drums in the band until 1949. After leaving the Army, he returned to the University of Washington and played in a jazz quartet after hours. He played trombone with orchestras in Seattle.

In January 1950, Crow moved to New York City, briefly studied valve trombone with Lennie Tristano, and met many New York musicians and artists. He bought an old Kay bass and taught himself to play what would become his primary instrument. In 1953 he purchased an old French bass which has been his jazz voice until the present. In 1975 he returned to playing a brass instrument, the tuba, for the first time in twenty-five years, doubling with string bass on several Broadway shows, including Boccaccio, Rogers & Hart, the King and I, the Grand Tour, Morrisey Hall, On the Twentieth Century, and 42nd Street.

He joined Gerry Mulligan's groups as a bassist during the mid to late 1950s. He has played bands led by Mike Riley, John Benson Brooks, Teddy Charles, Stan Getz, Al Haig, Claude Thornhill, Terry Gibbs, Don Elliot, Jerry Wald, Marian McPartland, Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall, Gerry Mulligan, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer & Clark Terry, Roger Kellaway, Quincy Jones, Benny Goodman, Eddie Condon, Walter Norris, Peter Duchin, Marty Napoleon, Chris Griffin, Gene DiNovi, Doug Proper, Joe Beck, Lou Caputo, Art Baron, Phil Woods, and Carmen Leggio. He plays frequently with pianist Hiroshi Yamazaki as well as trumpeter Ryo Sasaki.

Crow self-produced a trio album with Hiroshi Yamazaki and John Cutrone titled Embraceable You and another with guitarist Armand Hirsch titled Bill Crow Sings.

He wrote an autobiography called Jazz Anecdotes. (Oxford University Press, 1991).

As leader

As sideman

With Gerry Mulligan

With Stan Getz

with Zoot Sims

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Al Cohn

with Clark Terry

with Marian McPartland

With J. J. Johnson

With Al Haig

With Jimmy Cleveland

With Milt Jackson

With others

Books