BILLY HARPER – saxophone, composer
He began playing instrumental music professionally and composing music for jazz ensembles in Houston at age 14. He formed his first group “Billy Harper Sextet” and played at Evan E. Worthing High School, Houston. In 1961 he attended North Texas State University in Denton, and became a member of the University’s Big Band that was awarded first prize at Kansas Jazz Festival. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in 1965 with major in saxophone, minor in theory and additional major in experimental program for students particularly interested in jazz. He formed and performed frequently with the Billy Harper Sextet. Since 1966 Billy performed and recorded with world famous groups: Gil Evans Orchestra, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Lee Morgan Quintet, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, Donald Byrd Band, Max Roach Quartet, The Jazz Summit, Frank Foster Big Band, McCoy Tyner Big Band, McCoy Tyner Sextet, Randy Weston and Chico O’Farrell Big Band. Billy received many awards: “Most Promising Saxophonist” on Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Music Composition Grant by National Endowment for the Arts (three times and many others. Billy is also a faculty member of the New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program. http://billyharper.com/harperhome.html BILLY HARPER – saksofon,
skladatelj Pri svojih štirinajstih letih je začel igrati in
komponirati glasbo za jazzovske skupine v Houstonu. Ustanovil je svojo prvo skupino “Billy Harper
Sextet” in igral na Evan E. Worthing High School v Houstonu. Leta 1961 se je
vpisal na North Texas State University v Dentonu in postal član tamkajšnjega
Big Banda, ki je bil nagrajen s prvo nagrado na Jazz Festivalu v Kanzasu.
Leta 1965 je diplomiral iz glavnega predmeta - saksofona, stranskega predmeta teorije in
iz dodatnega predmeta v eksperimentalnem programu za študente s posebnim zanimanjem
za jazz. Po letu1966 je Billy nastopal, snemal in potoval s svetovno najbolj
znanimi skupinami: Gil Evans Orchestra, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers,
Lee Morgan Quintet, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, Donald Byrd Band, Max
Roach Quartet, The Jazz Summit, Frank Foster Big Band, McCoy Tyner Big Band,
McCoy Tyner Sextet, Randy Weston and Chico O’Farrell Big Band in mnogimi
drugimi. V svoji karieri je prejel več nagrad, med drugim za “Najbolj
obetavnega saksofonista” na Notre Dame Jazz Festivalu, trikrat Music
Composition Grant by National Endowment for the Arts in mnogo drugih. Billy
je professor na New School University
Jazz and Contemporary Music Program.
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