Bill Carrothers

b. 1964, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Carrothers began playing piano professionally in the early 80s, soon establishing a reputation as a solid performer. During the next two decades he played many prestigious venues throughout the USA, including New York’s Village Gate, Knitting Factory and the revived Birdland, and also at Blues Alley in Washington, DC. In Europe he played at the New Morning club in Paris, and also headlined at several festivals including the Audi Jazz Festival in Brussels, the Nevers Jazz Festival, sharing billing with Abbey Lincoln, and the Marciac Festival. During these same 20 years, Carrothers has played as a sideman in bands led by many artists, among whom are Buddy DeFranco, Dave Douglas, Curtis Fuller, Tim Hagans, Billy Higgins, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Gary Peacock, Dewey Redman, Charlie Rouse, Terrell Stafford, Bill Stewart, Ira Sullivan, Toots Thielemans and Bennie Wallace. He has recorded with several of the foregoing, notably Douglas, Stewart and Sullivan. In autumn 2000, he headlined the Rising Star Tour throughout Europe. A strikingly talented pianist, Carrothers’ up-to-the-minute style carries intriguing echoes of the work of leading hard-bop and post-bop masters, all filtered through his own distinctive and personal styling. Occasionally, there are also hints of delicate musings among the classical composers of the twentieth century.