Bill Mays

William Allen Mays (born February 5, 1944), known professionally as Bill Mays, is an American jazz pianist from Sacramento, California.

For other people named William Mays, see William Mays (disambiguation).
Bill Mays
Birth nameWilliam Allen Mays
Born (1944-02-05) February 5, 1944
Sacramento, California, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1960s–present
LabelsConcord Jazz, DMP, Palmetto
Websitebillmays.net

Biography

He came from a musical family and at the age of 15 became interested in jazz at an Earl Hines concert.

From 1969 to the early 1980s Mays worked as a studio session musician in Los Angeles. He has been an accompanist to singers Al Jarreau, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Dionne Warwick, and also worked with artists such as Don Ellis, Mel Lewis, Barry Manilow, Shelly Manne, Bob Mintzer, Red Mitchell, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Bobby Shew, Sonny Stitt, Paul Winter, Phil Woods and Frank Zappa. In 1984, he moved to New York City and began to do more work as a bandleader, composer, and arranger. He has recorded over two dozen albums under his own name, and has been heard on hundreds more by others.

Discography

As leader
  • Crystal Comments with Bud Shank and Alan Broadbent (Concord Jazz, 1980)
  • Explorations: 1980 with Bud Shank (Concord Concerto, 1980)
  • A Musical Cocktail: The Music of Cole Porter (MCR, 1980)
  • Telepathy with Bobby Shew (Jazz Hounds, 1982)
  • Two of a Mind with Red Mitchell (ITI, 1983)
  • Tha's Delights (Trend, 1985)
  • One to One with Ray Drummond (DMP, 1990)
  • One to One 2 with Ray Drummond (DMP, 1991)
  • Kaleidoscope (The Jazz Alliance, 1992)
  • Gone with the Wind (September, 1993)
  • Concord Duo Series Volume Seven with Ed Bickert (Concord Jazz, 1994)
  • At Maybeck (Concord Jazz, 1995)
  • An Ellington Affair (Concord Jazz, 1995)
  • Mays in Manhattan (Concord Jazz, 1996)
  • Out in P.A. (No Booze, 1999)
  • By Ourselves with Marvin Stamm (Marstam, 2000)
  • Charles Cochran Meets Bill Mays (Audiophile, 2000)
  • Summer Sketches (Palmetto, 2001)
  • Conversations (Azica, 2001)
  • Going Home (Palmetto, 2003)
  • Bick's Bag with Neil Swainson, Terry Clarke (Triplet, 2004)
  • Live at Jazz Standard (Palmetto, 2005)
  • Live at Birdland NYC, Stamm/Soph Project (Jazzed Media, 2005)
  • Fantasy (Palmetto, 2007)
  • Beyond the Red Door with Bud Shank (Jazzed Media, 2007)
  • Mays at the Movies (SteepleChase, 2010)
  • Woods & Mays (Palmetto, 2011)
  • Live at COTA (No Booz, 2019)
  • Mays Plays Mays (No Booz, 2019)

With Inventions Trio

  • Life's a Movie (Chiaroscuro, 2013)

With Road Work Ahead

  • Night & Day (Trend, 1983)
  • Intersection (SBE, 2012)

As sideman

With Carter Burwell

  • Gods and Monsters (RCA Victor/BMG, 1998)
  • The Man Who Wasn't There (Decca, 2001)
  • The Alamo (Hollywood, 2004)
  • Hail Caesar! (Back Lot/Universal 2016)

With Elliot Goldenthal

  • Cobb (Sony Classical, 1994)
  • Interview with the Vampire (Geffen, 1994)
  • Sphere (Varese Sarabande, 1998)

With Benny Golson

With Bob Magnusson

  • Revelation (Discovery, 1979)
  • Road Work Ahead (Discovery, 1981)
  • Two Generations of Music (Trend, 1982)

With Barry Manilow

  • Even Now (Arista, 1978)
  • One Voice (Arista, 1979)
  • Barry (Arista, 1980)
  • If I Should Love Again (Arista, 1981)
  • I Wanna Do It with You (Arista, 1982)
  • 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe (Arista, 1984)

With Bud Shank

  • Heritage (Concord Jazz, 1978)
  • Silver Storm (Raw, 2000)
  • On the Trail (Raw, 2002)
  • Fascinating Rhythms (Jazzed Media, 2009)

With Bobby Shew

  • Class Reunion (Sutra, 1980)
  • Outstanding in His Field (Inner City, 1980)
  • Play Song (Jazz Hounds, 1981)
  • Shewhorn (Pausa, 1986)

With Frank Zappa

  • Bognor Regis (Dragonfly, 2006)
  • One Shot Deal (Zappa, 2008)
  • Orchestral Favorites 40th Anniversary (Zappa, 2019)

With others

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