Larry Willis

Once identified with on-the-edge free music, keyboardist Larry Willis had a profitable flirtation with fusion in the '70s, then moved to hard bop in the '80s and '90s. Willis' playing has been frenetic, ambitious, and interesting, but during his jazz-rock and fusion days it was funky but greatly restrained and simplistic. A devotee of <a href="spotify:artist:2ZvrvbQNrHKwjT7qfGFFUW">Herbie Hancock</a>, Willis has found a good balance, with expertly constructed modal solos and also lyrical, relaxed statements. Willis graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in the early '60s, then played with <a href="spotify:artist:1lB7KbOr9xdPK1CuasxmeA">Jackie McLean</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1b3F5FI7TX4IWTNA4P1kWp">Hugh Masekela</a>. He recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:38C3okxv3fyyOIQUVPCdGX">Lee Morgan</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1lB7KbOr9xdPK1CuasxmeA">McLean</a> in the mid-'60s, and worked with <a href="spotify:artist:1kYYk4lJ7ZWbyy3zDYOl6h">Kai Winding</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0FMucZsEnCxs5pqBjHjIc8">Stan Getz</a>, as well as recording with <a href="spotify:artist:3n7uBt3bxuEl3wJ7kjFHtt">Robin Kenyatta</a> in 1969. Willis turned to synthesizer and electric piano in the '70s, doing sessions with <a href="spotify:artist:5v74mT11KGJqadf9sLw4dA">Cannonball Adderley</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1ukgggkiF1l1PlT2FPCiir">Earl May</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3BG0nwVh3Gc7cuT4XdsLtt">Joe Henderson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7izkpvBGc31hUccjdSNz8k">Richard "Groove" Holmes</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1b3F5FI7TX4IWTNA4P1kWp">Masekela</a> again. He joined <a href="spotify:artist:24GaH9tRBgZjlvOhpFuKi2">Blood, Sweat & Tears</a> in 1972, recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:0UXy6wqMmVQ7PIWFNSXqdk">Alphonse Mouzon</a> in both 1972 and 1973, and did dates as a leader and freelance session musician. Willis also recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:777dppEN6AquM9Pu38mauA">Ryo Kawasaki</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5cBKYADHFTngJVZG8qCFTY">Sonny Fortune</a> in the late '70s, and with <a href="spotify:artist:5OPNYwuIto3q4ac46rIIZC">David "Fathead" Newman</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4Byg6TGm4z9TEkUDvEJBGO">Carla Bley</a> in the '80s. Willis toured and recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:7KjjSmSX5wCE1KYOerEf6D">Nat Adderley</a> in the '80s and joined <a href="spotify:artist:0yvEf1tqWWPiZu4ZbjyKGs">Woody Shaw</a>'s quintet in 1986. He's done sessions as a leader for Groove Merchant, Steeplechase, Audioquest, Brunswick, and Mapleshade, among others, including Blue Fable and Offering on Highnote in 2007 and 2008, respectively. ~ Ron Wynn and Michael G. Nastos, Rovi