“Carrothers plays…with his usual soft and haunted approach, as if his chords and melodies were crossing through a halo of constantly changing light” (Telerama, Michel Contat)

Photo by Andrea Canter

The return of internationally acclaimed pianist Bill Carrothers is always a much-anticipated event in the Twin Cities'jazz community. The Excelsior, MN native has been garnering rave reviews throughout the U.S. and Europe for his 2004 recording, Armistice 1918, and was nominated for the 2005 French “Grammy” equivalent, Les Victoires du Jazz. This Friday, December 23rd, Carrothers returns to his home turf following a tour of Italy for a single night at the French Press Jazz Café in St. Paul’s Lowertown.

Photo by Andrea Canter

Bill Carrothers has hardly followed the typical path of a musical prodigy. Growing up on the edge of the Twin Cities metro area, he heard lots of jazz at home, from his father’s recordings of Dixieland and Gerry Mulligan to his mother’s singing and piano playing. He started out with lessons from his church organist at age five—and he initially hated the piano. “My mom made me play. She was determined that all her children would at least have a working knowledge of the piano… She used to set the oven timer for a half-hour and I'd have to just sit there, even if I didn't play, I had to just sit there and stare at the keys and I just hated it. I wanted to play baseball.” But eventually Carrothers was turned on to jazz by his piano teacher, the late Bobby Peterson, who eschewed the academic exercises; instead “it was all sitting down and listening to records, playing along with them, or turning the stereo off and playing duets.” Peterson also introduced young Bill to Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, and most importantly, Miles Davis. Starting with Davis’ Greatest Hits, he was mesmerized: “I wore it out. I listened to it 100 times. I'd never heard anything like that before.”

After playing in his high school jazz bands, Carrothers moved on to the jazz program at North Texas State on a scholarship. However, he found the formality of college music studies frustrating. “I decided that the best way to learn it was to start buying every kind of jazz music I could find and start listening to it… There's a whole body of music I had memorized…It kind of creeps into your playing. It's not something that's learned and crammed like a test. It becomes part of the way you speak.” Gradually, Carrothers gained experience playing with visiting artists like James Moody and Billy Higgins, and recorded a well-received CD (A Band in All Hope) in 1986. By 1988, he’d had enough of college studies and headed to New York, where he recorded with Gary Peacock and Bill Stewart, and had gigs at the Village Gate, Birdland, and Visiones. But the big city never felt like home, and after five years and leading one recording (The Artful Dodger), Carrothers gave up on the Big Apple, recognizing he preferred a quieter, more rural life than the frenetic pace of most jazz musicians. “The whole schmoozing, going to clubs, being seen and hanging out is not my thing at all.”

Photo by Andrea Canter

After trying upstate New York (Woodstock) for a couple years, he returned to the Midwest, and now makes his home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. For much of his music, however, he spends his time in Europe, where he finds more work and a more open attitude toward jazz. Now 40, Bill Carrothers has had a relatively low profile but has established a strong following, touring throughout the U.S. as well as European venues. As a sideman he has appeared with Joe Beck, Scott Colley, Buddy DeFranco, Dave Douglas, Curtis Fuller, Billy Higgins, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Dewey Redman, Charlie Rouse, and Toots Thielemans, among others; as a leader he has released 10 acclaimed recordings. In 2000, he headlined the prestigious Rising Star Tour throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. European honors have included the 2000 French Diapason d'Or de l'année and the German Schallplatten Preis for his Birdology recording, Duets With Bill (Stewart), and appearing on numerous Top 10 of the Year lists in France (in 1999 and 2000). Departing from the acoustic piano, Carrothers played Fender Rhodes on the recording, Electric Bill (Dreyfus), with Bad Plus partners Reid Anderson and Dave King, a release dubbed by Tom Surowicz (Star Tribune) as one of the best recordings of 2002, “as serious and sensuous and spacey as Miles Davis in his pioneering fusion period.”Noted Jazziz (2002), “Carrothers' playing recalls that of Andrew Hill and Herbie Nichols, pianists both known for their patient improvisations and composerly senses of intrigue.”

Recently, Bill Carrothers has taken on projects reflecting his interest in American history, including tributes to the Civil War. His recent release, Armistice 1918 Cryptogramophone, 2004), featuring Bill Stewart on drums, Drew Gress on bass, and additional support from Jay Epstein’s percussion, Mark Henderson’s contrabass clarinet, and wife Peg Carrothers’ vocals, is earning rave reviews: “Carrothers' two-disc tone poem to WWI, inspired by the work of Great War poets and partially funded by a war museum in the Somme region of France, is by turns jubilant and haunting. ... It evokes a depth of feeling and reflection worthy of the event that inspired it” (JAZZIZ, January 2005). Noted the Jazz Society of Oregon, “ This is serious material to be listened to closely. It has clout, poignancy, and a strong message for our country at this very moment.” Carrothers will tour Europe with the Civil War diaries in March 2006.

Carrothers with Dewey Redman, Photo by Howard A. Gitelson

Carrothers’ most recent release, I Love Paris (Pirouet, 2005), goes in a much more mainstream direction, focusing on tunes from the 20s-40s. Noted John Kelman (All About Jazz), “Carrothers is a harmony-rich player with an uncanny ability to see the greater potential of both hands in concert. While some pianists are fairly linear with their right hand and eke out accompaniment with their left—and there are times when Carrothers is more linear—he has a vivid sense of larger voicings, like British pianist John Taylor, sometimes creating eight- and nine-part harmonies that move smoothly, and in ways that makes every subsequent note feel perfectly logical, yet somehow unpredictable.”

Last fall, Carrothers had a memorable one-night stand at the Dakota, accompanied by local heroes, Gordy Johnson (bass) and Dave King (drums). At the end of 2005, this hot trio will release Shine Ball—mostly spontaneous improvisations-- on Fresh Sound/New Talent. This weekend, we have another opportunity to hear this acclaimed native son in the company of another volcanic rhythm section, Chris Bates on bass and Jay Epstein on drums, in the intimate surroundings of the French Press. Don’t miss it!

Bill Carrothers and his trio will perform one night only at the French Press Jazz Café, 13 E. 4th St, St. Paul (across from Union Depot); sets begin at 9 pm, cover $5. Visit fww.fpjazz.com or full schedule. For information about Bill Carrothers and ordering information for his recordings, visit www.carrothers.com