Bill Wells | |
|---|---|
) Bill Wells with Aby Vulliamy, National Jazz Trio of Scotland, Stirling, May 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | c. 1963 (age 57–58) Falkirk, Scotland |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Bass, Guitar, Piano |
| Labels | Geographic Music, Double Six, Domino Records [1] |
| Associated acts | Bill Wells Octet The Pastels Maher Shalal Hash Baz Future Pilot A.K.A. Lol Coxhill Isobel Campbell |
Bill Wells (born c. 1963)[1] is a Scottish bassist, pianist, guitarist and composer.
Biography
Wells is completely self-taught, and began performing in clubs in Scotland in the late 1980s.[1] He began arranging his own work and initially offered these to Bobby Wishart, but when Wishart declined the offer, Wells formed his own Bill Wells Octet, which has included Lindsay Cooper, Alastair Morrow, Robert Henderson, John Longbotham, Phil and Tom Bancroft.[1] Wells' style of experimental jazz takes influences from Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, Gil Evans, and Charles Mingus.[1]
Wells has collaborated with several prominent Scottish independent rock and pop musicians, including with David Keenan of Telstar Ponies and John Hogarty of BMX Bandits in the group Phantom Engineer, and with Stevie Jackson and Isobel Campbell of Belle & Sebastian in live performances and also in the studio; Wells recorded the Ghost of Yesterday album with Campbell, and Jackson played on Wells' Incorrect Practice album.[1][2]
During 2006 he received a Scottish Arts Council 'Tune Up' commission for a tour of Scotland.[3]
Discography
With Phantom Engineer
- Phantom Engineer (1996)
With Future Pilot A.K.A.
- The Bill Wells Octet Vs. Future Pilot A.K.A. (1999) Domino
The Bill Wells Trio
- Incorrect Practice (2000)[2] Geographic
- Also in White (2002) Geographic
With Isobel Campbell
- Ghost of Yesterday (2002) Creeping Bent
With Maher Shalal Hash Baz
- GOK (2009) Geographic
With Tape
- Fugue (2010) Thrill Jockey
With Aidan Moffat
- Everything's Getting Older (2011)
- The Most Important Place in the World (2015)
As Bill Wells & Friends
- Nursery Rhymes (2015) [4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Bill Wells", in The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0
- ^ a b Jansen, Skip. "Incorrect Practice: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "Bill Wells: Biography". Scottish Arts Council. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "'Nursery Rhymes' released on the Karaoke Kalk label". Retrieved 30 November 2015.
External links
- Scottish Arts Council article on Bill Wells
- Biography at Falkirk Music Scene
- Bill Wells at Domino Records
- Article on Scotland On Sunday 23.06.96 write by Stephen Pastel
- Fugue by Tape & Bill Wells at Inmune Recordings
- Video Kama Aina & Bill Wells | Glasgow Sky
- Video Bill Wells & Lorna Gilfedder & Bradien