- Billy Bang
Billy Bang (b. William Vincent Walker, Mobile,
Alabama ,September 20 ,1947 ), is an Americanfree jazz violinist andcomposer .Early life
Bang's family moved to
New York City 'sBronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a child he attended a special school for musicians in nearbyHarlem .Hull, Tom. " [http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0540,hull,68421,22.html Billy Bang Is in the House] ",The Village Voice , publishedOctober 3 ,2005 , accessedJuly 17 ,2007 .] At that school, students were assigned instruments based on their physical size. Bang was fairly small, so he received a violin instead of either of his first choices, thesaxophone or thedrum s. It was around this time that he acquired the nickname of "Billy Bang", derived from a popular cartoon character.Kelsey, Chris. " [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifoxqy5ldfe~T1 Billy Bang - Biography] ",Allmusic , accessedJuly 17 ,2007 .]econdary education
Bang studied the violin until he earned a hardship scholarship to a prep school in
Massachusetts , at which point he abandoned it because the school did not have a music program.Jung, Fred. " [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=711 A Fireside Chat With Billy Bang] ", AllAboutJazz.com, publishedNovember 14 ,2003 , accessedJuly 17 ,2007 .] He had difficulty adjusting to life at the school, where he encountered racism and developed confusion about his identity, which he later blamed for his onset ofschizophrenia . Bang felt that he had little in common with the largely privileged children at the school, who included Jackie Robinson, Jr. (son of baseball starJackie Robinson ) andArlo Guthrie , and he struggled to reconcile the disparity between the wealth of the school and the poverty of his home in New York. He left the school after two years and attended a school in the Bronx. He did not graduate, decided not to return to school after receiving his draft papers, and at the age of 18, he was drafted into theUnited States Army .Redwine, Nancy. " [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2004/November/11/style/stories/03style.htm Big Bang Theory] ",The Santa-Cruz Sentinel , publishedNovember 11 ,2004 , accessedJuly 17 ,2007 .]Vietnam and after
Bang spent six months in
basic training and another two weeks learning jungle warfare, arriving in Vietnam just in time for theTet Offensive . Starting out as an infantryrman, he did one tour of combat duty, rising to the rank of sergeant before he mustered out.After Bang returned from the war, his life lacked direction. The job he had held before being drafted had been filled in his absence. He pursued and then abandoned a law degree, before becoming politically active and falling in with an underground group of revolutionaries. The group recognized Bang's knowledge of weapons from his time in the Army, and they used him to procure firearms for the group during trips to
Maryland andVirginia , buying from pawnshops and other small operators who did not conduct extensive background checks. During one of these trips, Bang spotted three violins hanging at the back of a pawnshop, and he impulsively purchased one.Musical career
After serving in
Vietnam during theVietnam War , he returned to New York and joined theSun Ra Arkestra.In 1977, Bang co-founded the
String Trio of New York (with guitaristJames Emery and double bassistJohn Lindberg ).Billy Bang has most recently explored his experience in Vietnam in two albums: "Vietnam: The Aftermath" (2001) and "Vietnam: Reflections" (2005), recorded with a band which included several other veterans of that conflict. The latter album also features two Vietnamese musicians based in the United States (voice and "
đàn tranh " zither).elected discography
Solo:
* "Distinction without a Difference" (hat Hut , 1979)
* "Commandment" (No More, 1997)As leader:
* "Sweet Space" (Anima, 1979)
* "Rainbow" Gladiator (Soul Note , 1981)
* "Invitation" (Soul Note, 1982)
* "Bangception, Willisau 1982" (hatOLOGY, 1982)
* "Outline No. 12" (Celluloid, 1983)
* "The Fire from Within" (Soul Note, 1984)
* "Live at Carlos 1" (Soul Note, 1986)
* "Valve No. 10" (Soul Note, 1991)
* "A Tribute to Stuff Smith" (Soul Note, 1992)
* "Spirits Gathering" (CIMP , 1996)
* "Bang On!" (Justin Time , 1997)
* "Big Bang Theory" (Justin Time, 1999)
* "Vietnam: The Aftermath" (Justin Time, 2001)
* "Vietnam: Reflections" (Justin Time, 2004)Collaborations:
*Billy Bang & Charles Tyler: "Live at Green Space" (Anima, 1982)
*String Trio of New York : "First String" (Black Saint , 1979)
*String Trio of New York: "Area Code 212" (Black Saint, 1980)
*String Trio of New York: "Common Goal" (Black Saint, 1981)
*String Trio of New York: "Rebirth of a Feeling" (Black Saint, 1983)
*String Trio of New York: "Natural Balance" (Black Saint, 1986)
*William Hooker/Billy Bang Duo: "Joy (Within)!" (1994-95)
*Sirone Bang Ensemble: "Configuration" (Silkheart, 2004)
*Billy Bang, Wayne Providence and Michael Maloy: "Hip Hop Bebop" (ITM, 2003)(dates are recording, not release)External links
* [http://www.justin-time.com/authors/billybang/ Billy Bang bio from Justin Time Records site]
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=711 Billy Bang interview by Fred Jung]
* [http://www.mindspring.com/~scala/bang.htm Billy Bang discography]
* http://www.myspace.com/billybangartist
* [http://www.jazzhistorydatabase.com/collections/zupan-audio.html?zoom_highlight=billy+bang New England Jazz History Database - WICN Jazz & Folk Worcester Radio Interview]References
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