Bill Carrothers

The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet: Plan B

by Ian Patterson
December 7, 2021

Plan A, which is to say, leading his own acoustic band, has worked pretty well for Irish drummer Kevin Brady. A number of fine small ensemble recordings--with Ensam (Lpr Music, 2016) perhaps the pick of the bunch—has seen him marshal talents such as Bill Carrothers and Norma Winstone, touring the world in the process. With Plan B Brady plugs in and rocks out, taking wing on the back of 1970s-era Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. It is not entirely new ...

Bill Carrothers: Red Planet

by Mike Jurkovic
April 2, 2018

Since the '80s, Michigan pianist Bill Carrothers has inventively and tirelessly fashioned himself an enviable discography, which includes 2008's Home Row (Pirouet Records, 2008) with Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart and 2010's tribute to revered trumpeter Clifford Brown Joy Spring (Pirouet Records, 2010 ). A critical fave on the touring circuit, he's highlighted gigs the world over, with Birdland, Europe's Rising Star Tour, and the Montreal Jazz Fest among many highlights. His post-bop style has shared the stage with the ...

Bill Carrothers: Red Planet

by Vincenzo Roggero
May 8, 2017

Prendete un trio chitarra, basso e batteria di stanza a Minneapolis (luogo con più di una suggestione musicale) abituato a giocare con i generi (folk, rock, jazz, classica, americana?) aggiungete un pianista difficilmente etichettabile e mai banale come Bill Carrothers e avrete un' idea del disco in questione. Solo un'idea s'intende perché poi l'ascolto rivela una continua sorpresa. Due brani di John Coltrane, due di Thelonious Monk, uno di Jimmy Van Heusen e cinque originali si insediano ...

Kevin Brady: Ensam

by Ian Patterson
August 26, 2016

The trans-Atlantic trio of drummer/composer Kevin Brady, Bill Carrothers and Dave Redmond first came together in 2006, since when it has toured more frequently than it's recorded. Ensam (LRP Music, 2016), the group's third outing, following Common Ground (The Livingroom Project, 2007) and Zeitgeist (Fresh Sounds, New Talent, 2009), is an intimate three-way dialogue, with veteran English singer Norma Winstone adding lustre to several tracks. Brady--who penned all the original tunes--leaves an abundance of room for his colleagues to explore ...

Bill Carrothers: Family Life

by C. Michael Bailey
July 7, 2012

Pianist Bill Carrothers gets personal in Family Life. Entering the stream of Americana flowing straight down the middle of jazz, Carrothers produces his Kinderszenen (1838) after German composer Robert Schumann, or, at the very least, his Woodland Sketches (1896) after American composer Edward MacDowell. Family Life is is a carefully constructed set of musical miniatures capturing a national essence, that indefinable thing that made Aaron Copland Aaron Copland, George Gershwin George Gershwin, Duke Ellington Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk Thelonious ...

Bill Carrothers: Family Life

by Dan McClenaghan
June 21, 2012

Minnesota-born pianist Bill Carrothers made the seemingly obligatory to pilgrimage to New York and spent five years there, doing the hustle and hang for work. That's how it's done in the jazz world. Or not. After five unhappy years in the Big Apple, Carrothers packed up his piano and moved to Michigan's Upper Peninsula--not exactly a jazz-centric locale--to resume a life more serene and start a family.Family Life, a solo piano offering, finds Carrothers in a mostly tranquil ...

Bill Carrothers: Family Life

by Dan Bilawsky
June 20, 2012

Nostalgia, if overused, can be a dangerous drug but, when the dosage is just right, it can serve as a wonderful gateway into an artist's personalized realm. Such is the case with pianist Bill Carrothers' Family Life. Carrothers broke his trio recording habit, which is well-documented on his prior Pirouet releases, and sat down all by his lonesome to produce this pianistic trip down memory lane. While no single mood or ideal defines this work, Carrothers often ...

The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, January 9-15

Source: JazzINK by Andrea Canter
January 10, 2015

Only one international headliner in town this week (and Bill Carrothers is one of our own!) but there's no dearth of talent from our local roster of artists, and it's a particularly busy weekend — don't become a couch potato as the cold settles in. Jazz will keep your blood flowing, ears glowing — we have great music to keep you warm. Big Gigs This Week Friday, January 9. About a year ago, guitarist Joel Shapira needed another local guitarist ...
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The Kevin Brady Trio Featuring Bill Carrothers Live In Dublin Ireland

Source: Kevin Brady
April 3, 2013

The Kevin Brady Trio featuring Bill Carrothers @ JJ Smyth's The band's back together on the 27th of June 2013, for a night of top-class jazz from Kevin Brady, Dave Redmond and Bill Carrothers! Venue: JJ Smyths, Aungier Street Date: Thursday 27th of June Time: 20:30pm €10 Kevin Brady - Drums Dave Redmond - Double Bass Bill Carrothers - Piano After numerous knock-out tours, two hugely successful CD's , Irish ...
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Big Notes Films Releases DVD: "We’ll Be White Black" with Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Peterson, Joe Pulice & Bill Carrothers

Source: Nicole Thompson
July 11, 2011

Big Notes Films Releases DVD: “We'll Be White Black" with Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Peterson, Joe Pulice & Bill Carrothers Big Notes Films, a film production company owned and operated by Bradford Thompson, is pleased to announce the release of the DVD We'll Be White Black, filmed live at The Dakota Restaurant & Jazz Club in Minneapolis. It was a collaborative project with Billy Peterson (former bassist, The Steve Miller Band) as Music Producer, and Bradford Thompson as Director/Producer. Tenor saxophonist, ...
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Bill Carrothers - Joy Spring (Pirouet)

Source: Master of a Small House
June 8, 2010

June 26, 1956 - a day that will forever register in the ledger of jazz tragedy. Pianist Bill Carrothers pays tribute to the two jazz icons lost on that faithful date, Clifford Brown and Richie Powell, on this consistently engaging trio session. Carrothers covers the major bases of the Brown and Powell songbook, also pulling in tunes by other composers that they favored on albums and concert sets. Regular collaborators bassist Drew Gress and Bill Stewart jibe perfectly with his ...
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Pianist Bill Carrothers Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
May 25, 2010

A conversation with pianist Bill Carrothers reveals an unusual man; one who is to-the-point and forthright to a fault, perhaps, and one who's words spill from his mind unfiltered by anyone's expectations. Much the way his playing on Joy Spring (Pirouet, 2010)--a celebration of the music of hard bop trumpet icon Clifford Brown--seems to spill from his fingers. It's a conversation that careens from jazz, global warming and baseball to home restoration projects, the difficulties of reroofing his Mass City, ...
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Pianist Bill Carrothers Releases New CD on Pirouet Records Titled "Joy Spring"

Source: Two for the Show Media
April 26, 2010

BILL CARROTHERS - JOY SPRING - PIROUET RECORDS BILL CARROTHERS: piano DREW GRESS: bass BILL STEWART: drums

When you listen to the title piece, it's hard to believe what you're hearing. You would never imagine it could sound like this. The piano celebrates a stoic slowness, appears to mark time. Pensive, enigmatic. With endless patience, tentatively feeling its way from bar to bar. Searching. Seemingly struggling with the musical gestalt. Got the wrong track? No: you ...
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Bill Carrothers a Jazz Stalwart Long Absent Returns to the Village

Source: Michael Ricci
July 15, 2009

The pianist Bill Carrothers is a New York jazz expatriate, that rare creature who left the scene just as he was starting to make an impression.

Reared in the Midwest, he returned there more than a dozen years ago, planting roots in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and cultivating a fondness for snowmobiles. (Such trivia can be found at carrothers.com, along with a map complete with his address.) He never stopped playing or recording, but his bond with the nightclub ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Carrothers

Source: Michael Ricci
July 13, 2009

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Carrothers' birthday today!

JAZZ MUSICIAN OF THE DAY Bill Carrothers

Bill Carrothers has been a professional pianist for over 20 years. He has played many venues throughout the U.S. and Europe including the Village Gate, Knitting Factory, Birdland, Blues Alley, New Morning (Paris)... more

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Bill Carrothers Trio at Village Vanguard, July 14-19

Source: Two for the Show Media
July 10, 2009

Pianist, Composer, & Bandleader Bill Carrothers will be performing with his Trio (featuring Nicolas Thys on bass, Dre Pallemaerts on drums) at The Village Vanguard in NYC from Tuesday, July 14, 2009 thru Sunday, July 19th, 2009 Bill Carrothers Trio: Bill Carrothers - Piano Nicolas Thys - bass Dre Pallemaerts - drums “One of the most underrated jazz pianist around." Pacific Sun Bill Carrothers Trio The Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave. South ...
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