Bill Easley
Bill Easley (born January 13, 1946) plays alto, tenor, flute and clarinet. He worked with George Benson in the late 1960s and with Isaac Hayes in the 1970s. Easley Attended Memphis State University in the 1970s. He also did sessions at Stax and Hi Records (with Ann Peebles and Al Green). Easley moved back to New York in 1980 and has recorded sessions for Sunnyside and Milestone. He's played with Sir Roland Hanna, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Smith, Ruth Brown, James Williams, trumpeter Bill Mobley, Mulgrew Miller, Grady Tate, George Caldwell, Victor Gaskin, Panama Francis, Mercer Ellington and Billy Higgins among others.
Leader Discography
- Wind Inventions (1986, Sunnyside Records)
- First Call (1990, Milestone Records)
- Easley Said (1997, Evidence Records)
- Business Man's Bounce (2007, 18th & Vine Records)
- Hearing Voices (2008 18th and Vine Records)
- Love Stories (2010 American Showplace)
Sideman Discography
- with James Williams Flying Colors (Zim, 1977)
- with Jimmy Witherspoon Sings the blues (Black and Blue, 1980)
- with Jimmy McGriff City Lights (JAM, 1981)
- with Mercer Ellington Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies (RCA, 1981)
- with Jimmy McGriff Sky Walk (Milestone, 1984)
- with James Williams Alter Ego (Sunnyside, 1984)
- with James Williams Progress Report (Sunnyside, 1985)
- with Bobby Watson The year of the rabbit (New Note, 1987)
- with Mercer Ellington Music is my mistress (Music Masters, 1988)
- with Charles Earland Front Burner (Milestone, 1988)
- with Jimmy McGriff Blue to the bone (Milestone, 1988)
- with Ed Thigpen B'Way (Alpha Jazz, 1989)
- with Grady Tate Dream love (All Art, 1989)
- with Jimmy McGriff You ought to think about me (Headfirst, 1990)
- with Randy Johnston Walk On (Muse, 1991)
- with Grady Tate TNT Grady Tate Sings (Milestone, 1991)
- with Dakota Staton Darling Please Save Your Love For Me (Muse, 1991)
- with Jimmy Heath Little Man, Big Band (Verve, 1992)
- with James Williams Memphis Convention (DIW, 1992)
- with Chris Connor I Walk With Music (HighNote, 2002)