SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
recordings as sideman: + The Glass Room John McNeil Quartet, Steeplechase 1133 + In America w/ Joe Bowie's Defunkt, Antilles 90911-1 + Heroes w/ Joe Bowie's Defunkt, DIW 838 + Live at the Knitting Factory w/ Joe Bowie's Defunkt, Knit.Works KFW 104 + Crisis w/ Joe Bowie's Defunkt, Enemy 135-2 + Live & Reunified w/ Joe Bowie's Defunkt, Enemy 145-2 + Remembrance w/ Jim Pepper, Tutu 888 152 + Eleventh Hour w/ Ed Schuller, Tutu 888 124 + Mu Point w/ Ed Schuller, Tutu 888 154 + Snake Dancing w/ Ed Schuller + To Know Where One Is w/ Ed Schuller, Power Bros 00127 + Fool Injection w / Liquid Hips, Enemy 138-2 + Static w/ Liquid Hips, Enemy 142-2 + Round the Outside w/ Olaf Kubler, Loewenzahn 2092-2 + Godzilla Jazz w/ Jack Walrath, Paddle Wheel KICJ 345 + Paradox w/ Cobham & Schmid, Tiptoe TIP 888 824 2 + The First Second w/ Cobham & Schmid, Tiptoe TIP 888 833 2
as leader: + Semi-Precious Metal w/ Bigfood, Tutu 888 114 + Soulciety Funky Family (compilation) ME 003 92
BILL BICKFORD, born and raised in Norwalk, CT, began to play guitar by listening to blues records ala Lightnin' Hopkins and studied with the late Linc chamberland. He started professionally with local R&B and soul bands before moving to NYC in '77.
After some schooling which included a scholarship funded year at Berklee and two at City College of NY, studying composition and arranging with Mario Davidovsky, Edgar Summerlin, and John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet, and a few years of free-lancing with Jack McDuff, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Larry Elgart, Bill Bickford first appeared on record with trumpeter John McNeil on "The Glass Room".
In 1982, Bickford joined Joe Bowie's Defunkt where he remained for the next ten years, contributing several compositions on six records and receiving praise on numerous international tours. Sandwiched in between were gigs with singer Mose Allison, Donald Byrd, the JB Horns and the late Native American saxophonist Jim Pepper.
Bickford can be heard with his own trio BIGFOOD on "Semi Precious Metal", also with the funk/trash band Liquid Hips on "Fool Injection" and "Static", in a jazzier setting with bassist Ed Schuller on "Eleventh Hour" or "Remembrance" with Jim Pepper. Check "Paradox-First Second" for power funk-rock live with Billy Cobham and Wolfgang Schmid. And, of course, the CD "Cool Bop Phonics"
Hey Bill, your friendship made my day. I must be your biggest fan in Europe. Pop in for a coffee the next time you're in England. ...and bring your guitar, so you can plug it into something Wienbrock. Would be an honor to make you an amp.
Keep in touch, greetings from the Wienbrock factory,
Hi There Mr Bickford just wanted to say glad to find U here hope is all well for u You Know U were a great friend to me while I was in Germany God Bless U and Ill never forget ya If possible maybe wed will run into each other in tha future!!!!!!!!
Each new jazz "friend" is important to us so, we appreciate your add very much.
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Did you see, I put a video of our PoetryJazz gig on my ARKADY. COM site and it's embedded at my MySpace page. Check it out! And that hat you wore was killing to:)!
Please email me your Contact Info via regular email at ARKADY. COM. Mine is the same.
09.11.1956 - 08.25.2008 His life will be celebrated at a Memorial on Tuesday August 5th,6PM at the SGI Buddhist Cultural Center 7 East 15th Street (right off Union Square) in New York City... myspace
