Billy James
Birth nameWilliam James
BornApril 20, 1936
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedNovember 20, 2009 (aged 73)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
GenresJazz
InstrumentsDrums

William "Billy" James (April 20, 1936 – November 20, 2009)[1] was an American jazz drummer.

Early life

James was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He began performing jazz at the age of 15.[2]

Career

James worked with Lionel Hampton and Booker Ervin in the 1950s, and in the early 1960s with James Moody, Candido Camero, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Don Patterson,[3] and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. He and Patterson frequently recorded as a duo. James led his own groups in the latter half of the 1960s and worked further with Stitt during this time as well as with Eric Kloss. Later associations include Eddie Harris and Houston Person.[4]

Discography

With Eddie Harris

With Don Patterson

With Sonny Stitt

With others

  • Legends Of Acid Jazz: Gene Ammons (Prestige, 1997) -included as a CD bonus is the single, "I Can't Stop Loving You" b/w "My Babe" [Argo 5417], recorded in 1962 by Gene Ammons with the Don Patterson/Paul Weeden/Billy James trio, and later released on the various artists compilation The Soul Jazz Giants [Prestige 7791] in 1971.
  • Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, I Only Have Eyes for You (Prestige, 1962)
  • Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Trackin' (Prestige, 1962)
  • Eric Kloss, Introducing Eric Kloss (Prestige, 1965)
  • Eric Kloss, Love and All That Jazz (Prestige, 1966)
  • Houston Person, Heavy Juice (Muse, 1982)
  • Shirley Scott/Don Patterson/Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Stompin' (Prestige, 1967)
  • Clarence Wheeler, The New Chicago Blues (Atlantic, 1973)
  • Various Artists, Blue Note Records Presents The Lost Sessions (Blue Note, 1999) -this compilation includes one track ("Lady Be Good") from the aborted Sonny Stitt/Dexter Gordon session (on 5/14//62) featuring the Don Patterson/Paul Weeden/Billy James trio.
  • Gene Ludwig, The Groove ORGANization (Blues Leaf, 2002) -with Bob DeVos
  • Bob DeVos, DeVos' Groove Guitar! (Blues Leaf, 2003) -with Gene Ludwig
  • Dan Fogel, Soul Eyes (Laughing Waters, 2004) -with Tony Ventura (guitar)

References

Footnotes
  1. "Jazz news: Jazz Drummer Billy James Dies at 73". All About Jazz. 2009-11-24. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  2. "Billy James | jazzleadsheets.com by Second Floor Music". jazzleadsheets.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  3. Morgenstern, Dan (2009-08-19). Living with Jazz: A reader edited by Sheldon Meyer. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-48760-5.
  4. Cook, Bonnie L. "Jazz drummer Billy James, 73". inquirer.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
General references
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