Bill Charlap

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the scores to "Peter Pan, The Conquering Hero," "Whoop-up," "Alice Through the Looking Glass" and "Kelly."

His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a popular song singer who performed with Benny Goodman, co-starred on TV's Perry Como Show and scored a Grammy nomination for her hit single, "My Coloring Book" by the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb. Mr. Charlap began playing the piano at a very young age. He studied with jazz pianist Jack Reilly and classical pianist Eleanor Hancock and informally picked up pointers from jazz/popular song pianist Dick Hyman, who was a distant cousin on his father's side.

Mr. Charlap was fully thrust into the jazz world in the late '80s when he joined baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's quintet and in 1994 was enlisted by alto saxophonist Phil Woods for his band. Mr. Charlap was the musical director of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, A Celebration of Johnny Mercer as a part of the JVC Jazz Festival in New York and later took the revue on the road.

He started his solo recording career in 1994 and has released several albums. In 1996, he began playing with his fine working trio of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. The group has recorded four CDs: 1997's All Through the Night on Criss Cross Records and three Blue Note Records albums: 2000's Written in the Stars (a collection of Great American Songbook standards), 2002's Stardust (celebrating the songs of Hoagy Carmichael) and 2004's Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, for which he received a Grammy nomination.

Mr. Charlap received the pianist of the year Jazz Award in 2003 from the Jazz Journalists Association and was named outstanding jazz soloist by Manhattan's Night Life Awards in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, he and his mother received the top jazz duo Bistro Award for their engagement at the Algonquin in New York. In 2004, Mr. Charlap and his trio opened Jazz at Lincoln Center's venue Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at the organization's new performance center on Columbus Circle in the Time- Warner Building. He was also enlisted by J@LC to put together a series of concerts honoring great songwriters, including Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Alden, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers. In July 2005, Charlap succeeded Dick Hyman as Artistic Director of Jazz In July at the 92nd Street Y's Tisch Center for the Arts.

Bill Charlap Trio at Music Mountain

by Steve Blomgren
September 18, 2024

Bill Charlap Trio Music Mountain Falls Village, CT August 24, 2024 At Music Mountain, in Falls Village, CT, the Bill Charlap Trio played a memorable set to a near-capacity crowd one late August evening. The group was in fine fettle as it worked through a set list heavy on Broadway classics and standards. Charlap, who recently passed the baton after a lengthy stint as the Artistic Director of the 92nd Street Y's Jazz in July ...

Play This!

Bill Charlap Trio: The Man I Love

by John Chacona
August 30, 2024

Fellow geezers might remember how, in an item describing the atmosphere at jny: New York City's fabled Rainbow Room, The New Yorker's Goings On About Town section sniffed “where a club soda costs about ten dollars," or words to that effect. The Rockefeller Center boîte is no longer open to the public and the Goings On section has lost its last two words and most of its content, but fret not. Gotham glamour is alive and well in the hands ...

In Pictures

Bill Charlap Trio at the Treelawn Music Hall

by C. Andrew Hovan
December 8, 2023

Over the past decade or so, Cleveland's Waterloo District has been known primarily for its artsy community and for the frequent concerts that occur at the renowned Beachland Ballroom. With the majority of the shows at that venue coming from the rock and alternative genre, jazz has not been given a prominent voice in the area. That all changed about eighteen months ago with the purchase of the Slovenian Workmen's Home just up the street from the Beachland. Among several ...

Live Review

Bill Charlap Trio at Jazz, TX

by Katchie Cartwright
November 21, 2023

Bill Charlap Trio Jazz, TX San Antonio, Texas November 14, 2023 Back in March 2020, the Bill Charlap Trio featuring Peter Washington and Kenny Washington was the last act hosted by Jazz, TX before the pandemic shut everything down. They made a deep impression, and--nearly four years later--the club was excited to welcome them back, as was the capacity crowd. The trio opened, appropriately, with Kenny Barron's “And Then Again," a fast bebop blues ...

Interview

Bill Charlap: Intellect And Emotion

by R.J. DeLuke
February 14, 2022

"I don't ever remember a time when I didn't play the piano," reflects pianist Bill Charlap, who has become one of the giants of his generation on his instrument of choice, as evidenced by the array of other great players with whom he has performed. With his deft and agile approach he can summon a fiery intensity on the most difficult pieces and play with dreamy subtlety on softer things, like when accompanying a singer--a specialty of his.“There ...

Radio & Podcasts

Dick Hyman, Harold Betters & Bill Charlap

by Joe Dimino
February 6, 2022

Our 737th Episode of Neon Jazz begins with celebrated NYC pianist Bill Charlap with a cut from his Street of Dreams (Blue Note, 2021). From there, we hear Gerry Mulligan and a story from Bill about his time on the bandstand with the legend. We also get into new music from Elena Macque and hear about her love of saxophone great Kenny Garrett. As the show moves on, we also hear new music from David Janeway, Rachel Therrien and John ...

Live Review

Bill Charlap Trio at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

by Dan Bilawsky
November 13, 2015

Bill Charlap Trio Tilles Center for the Performing Arts Jazz on Stage with Matt Wilson Brookville, NY November 8, 2015 To witness pianist Bill Charlap in action is to receive an education, so who better than the newly-appointed Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University to help kick off a new performance and education initiative at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts? While Jazz has always been part ...

Festival

Midsummer MusicFest: New Annual Festival Debuts With Jazz In July And An Additional Week Of Jazz-Fueled, Genre-Blurring Events

Source: Michael Ricci
June 23, 2023

The 92nd Street Y, New York announces Midsummer MusicFest, a new summer festival debuting this year in celebration of 92NY’s 150th anniversary. Envisioned as an annual summer event inspired by a musical genre that has made a significant impact on 92NY’s programming, the festival launches this year with three weeks focusing on jazz. Midsummer MusicFest 2023 runs from July 11-27 and includes 92NY’s signature Jazz in July festival led by artistic director Bill Charlap, plus additional performances that showcase jazz’s ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the scores to “Peter Pan, The Conquering Hero," “Whoop-up," “Alice Through the Looking Glass" and “Kelly." His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a popular song singer who performed with Benny Goodman, co-starred on TV's Perry Como Show and scored a Grammy nomination for her hit single, “My ...
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Performance / Tour

Bill Charlap And The Bill Charlap Trio Celebrate The Theater Songs Of Leonard Bernstein, Friday, June 17th at 7:30 p.m.

Source: AMT Public Relations
May 8, 2022

Leonard Bernstein composed some of the most memorable theater scores of his generation—"West Side Story." “Candide." “On the Town."— but who was the man behind the music? This edition of NJPAC’s Conversations in Concert, hosted by theater insider Ted Chapin, promises to be a thought-provoking evening of stories about the iconic composer-conductor complemented by Bernstein songs. Bernstein’s daughter, Jamie, will pull back the curtain of her father’s complex persona, sharing intimate moments and childhood memories from her book, Famous Father ...
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Event

Bill Charlap And Bill Charlap Trio Celebrate The Theater Songs Of Leonard Bernstein At New Jersey Performing Arts Center on January 29

Source: AMT Public Relations
December 14, 2021

Saturday, January 29th at 7:30 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Leonard Bernstein composed some of the most memorable theater scores of his generation—West Side Story. Candide. On the Town—but who was the man behind the music? This edition of NJPAC’s Conversations in Concert, hosted by theater insider Ted Chapin, promises to be a thought-provoking evening of stories about the iconic composer-conductor complemented by Bernstein songs. Bernstein’s daughter, Jamie, will pull back the curtain of her father’s complex ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2020

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2019

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the scores to “Peter Pan, The Conquering Hero," “Whoop-up," “Alice Through the Looking Glass" and “Kelly." His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a popular song singer who performed with Benny Goodman, co-starred on TV\'s Perry Como Show and scored a Grammy nomination for her hit single... Read ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the scores to “Peter Pan, The Conquering Hero," “Whoop-up," “Alice Through the Looking Glass" and “Kelly." His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a popular song singer who performed with Benny Goodman, co-starred on TV\'s Perry Como Show and scored a Grammy nomination for her hit single... Read ...
read more

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bill Charlap

Source: Michael Ricci
October 15, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Bill Charlap's birthday today!

Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the scores to “Peter Pan, The Conquering Hero," “Whoop-up," “Alice Through the Looking Glass" and “Kelly." His mother, Sandy Stewart, is a popular song singer who performed with Benny Goodman, co-starred on TV\'s Perry Como Show and scored a Grammy nomination for her hit single... Read ...
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Recording

Bill Charlap: Uptown, Downtown

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
October 5, 2017

The last time I saw pianist Bill Charlap was in July at 92Y's Jazz in July series in New York, where he directed one of the most spectacular jazz concerts I've seen in some time. Bill's trio backed Jimmy Heath and Benny Golson, two legendary tenor saxophonists who were in superb form that night. Much of the concert's cohesion and success was a result of Bill's inspiring performance. His solos were so imaginative and impeccable throughout that both Jimmy and ...
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