Loads of stuff, including (but not limited to): Classical types: Medieval and Renaissance music, Susato, Attaignant, Byrd, Dowland, Monteverdi, Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Berlioz, Orff, Richard Strauss, Ravel, Debussy, Vaughan Williams, Ireland, Finzi, Weill, Walton, Stockhausen, Lutoslawski, Ligeti, Penderecki, Reich, Riley, Glass, Nyman, Fitkin, Lawrence Ball, etc.
Other influences: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Ashley Hutchings, Fairport Convention, John Renbourn, Peter Gabriel, Pyewackett, Pete Townshend, Robert Palmer, Bob Carter, Kate Bush, Ian Blake, Sting, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Elvis Costello, Tenacious D, Max Raabe und Palast Orchester, Kronos Quartet, anything with Brodsky Quartet in it, loads of folk and world music, Overtone Singing (Stockhausen, Frank Perry, David Hykes, et al).
Jazz Stuff: Savoy Orpheans, Roy Fox, Henry Hall, Bert Ambrose, Des Dorchester, Lew Stone, Fats Waller, Nelson Riddle, Bill Evans, Quincy Jones, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bill Sharpe, Dave Bristow, Fourplay, Al Jarreau, Pat Metheny; Julian Joseph, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock; PLUS: various funk acts, improvisations of all kinds and in all styles.
Sounds Like
My arrangements sound like either: a) nothing you’ve ever heard before, or
b) something you’ve heard before (depending on the brief!)
As a performer Bill gained a reputation as a sensitive keyboard accompanist and arranger and is now working on a new project: m2e2, incorporating influences from European folk music, rock, pop, jazz, contemporary classical music and improvisation. More of that later!
MUSIC TO YOUR EARS: Composing/Arranging: First commission: for Gregory Rose's 'Singcircle': 'A Memory of The Players' was performed at the ICA in 1979.
Arranger & kbd player with Pyewackett, 1978-90, a folk band set up with my friend, Ian Blake, producing 4 albums from 1979-1986. Regular gigs/recording with Cathy Lesurf (1980s). Appearances with June Tabor, The Albion Band, BBC Rockschool Band. Keyboard player & arranger 'Star Trekkin' (The Firm, 1987) - Silver Disc (No1 in UK & other countries, 480,000 copies sold!). Musical Director, BBC Radio 4 Schools programmes (1980s & 90s), including: 'Time & Tune', 'Music Workshop', 'The Song Tree', etc. Member of Frank Perry's Stargate, producing largely improvised vocal overtone pieces and the 1996 CD, 'Rainbow Healing Peace'. 2008: String arrangement and keyboard session for his brother Martin Shears' song, 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore'. Currently working on a piano improvisation project.
MUSIC TO YOUR EYES: Music course writing & course consultancy (keyboards, technology, composing, improvising). Produced the groundbreaking Play For Keeps keyboard course for Yamaha Music Schools, UK.
TEACHING: Have taught piano, guitar, keyboards and composing. A-level music teacher (1980s). Lots of music workshops on singing, keyboards, technology. PRS Composer-In-Education, 1990s, Leicestershire, Hampshire - one project featured on BBC TV's Teaching Today series.
SONGS: Va-oona - an improvised vocal overtone & djembe piece, featuring Frank Perry, Maxwell Steer, Susan Nares & Sue Beckett (1995) Tam Lin - my setting of the famous British ballad song from Pyewackett's 1983 'Man In The Moon' album. Waiting For... - written by Susan Nares and me, and appeared on John L Walters' excellent Unknown Public new music CD series. We submitted this for their section of 1-minute pieces which, on this occasion, had to connect to the words 'Beckett' and 'repetition'. Great fun! The Girl From Sligo - my reworking of the Irish fiddle tune, the Sligo Maid, as a piece in the Yamaha 'Play For Keeps' keyboard course, whose development I led.
Me taking my first steps in a jazz combo, under the direction of the inspiring Denys Baptiste, at the 2008 Jazzwise Summer school.
that..s great to meet you here again. After I wrote the comment for Pyewacket, I tried to find out, how long ago that was, since we toured together. Then I decided, I did not want to know. Hope everything goes well at your end. Perhaps we meet again in person.
