Lawrence Elliott Willis was an American jazz pianist and composer.
10 Facts About Larry Willis
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Larry Willis performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, and avant-garde.
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Larry Willis's first recording of any type was as a singer with the Music and Arts Chorale Ensemble, performing an opera by Aaron Copland under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.
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Larry Willis decided to concentrate on jazz because of the difficulties African-American musicians had in finding work in concert music.
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Larry Willis spent several years as pianist for trumpeters Nat Adderley and Woody Shaw as well as long and productive tenures with Roy Hargrove and with Jerry Gonzalez and his Fort Apache Band.
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Larry Willis's late recording with Paul Murphy, Expose, demonstrated the fusion principles of bebop and avant-garde jazz.
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Larry Willis worked with Hugh Masekela on a South African Suite of music and interpreted Miles Davis' work.
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Leonard Bernstein Roy Hargrove Nat Adderley Woody Shaw Hugh Masekela Benny Golson Don Redman 8.
Larry Willis was in the Round About Midnight tour of Miles Davis' music.
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Larry Willis received the Don Redman award in 2011, and the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University in 2012.
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Larry Willis died of an aneurysm in Baltimore at the age of 76.