Larry Willis
Lawrence Elliott Willis (December 20, 1942 – September 29, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, and avant-garde. Willis was born in New York City. After his first year studying music theory at the Manhattan School of Music he began performing regularly with Jackie McLean. After he graduated he made his first jazz recording, McLean's "Right Now!" in January 1965, which featured two of Willis' compositions. His first recording of any type, however, was as a singer with the Music and  Arts Chorale Ensemble, performing an opera by Aaron Copland under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. He decided to concentrate on jazz because of the difficulties African-American musicians had in finding work in concert music. Throughout his career he performed with a wide range of musicians, including several years as keyboardist for Blood, Sweat & Tears (beginning in 1972). He spent several years as pianist for trumpeters Nat Adderley and Woody Shaw as well as long and productive tenures with Roy Hargrove and with Jerry Gonzalez and his Fort Apache Band. His late recording with Paul Murphy, "Exposé", demonstrated the fusion  principles of bebop and avant-garde jazz. His composition "Sanctuary" began exploring works employing strings. After a successful performance in Frank Lloyd Wright's Annie Pfieffer Chapel at Florida Southern College's Child of the Sun Jazz Festival he was commissioned to write a full-scale orchestral work for jazz trio and orchestra. He worked with Hugh Masekela on a South African Suite of music and interpreted Miles Davis' work. He was in the Round About Midnight tour of Miles Davis' music. He received the Don Redman award in 2011, and the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University  in 2012. He died of an aneurysm in Baltimore at the age of 76. Discography. As sideman. With Nat Adderley With Gary Bartz With Cindy Blackman With Carla Bley With Blood, Sweat & Tears With Jerry Gonzalez and The Fort Apache Band With Roy Hargrove With Louis Hayes With Jimmy Heath With Joe Henderson With Groove Holmes With Clifford Jordan With Robin Kenyatta With Hugh Masekela With Jackie McLean With Carmen McRae With Lee Morgan With Alphonse Mouzon With Paul Murphy With David "Fathead" Newman With Valery Ponomarev With Woody Shaw With Steve Swallow With Buddy Terry With Norris Turney With  Fred Lipsius With C. I. Williams As co-leader. With Heads of State