Billy Gardner

[Jazz Kat]

Organist with George Braith. Haven't heard him outside of Braith sessions. Is there sideman material, or possibly a date as a leader?

[jazzbo]

Does a few sideman appearances here and there around that time. I know he appeared on at least one of the two Charlie Rouse Epic lps on piano.

[Dan Gould]

Not a big discography but you can see what he's on if you go to the allmusic site, look up his page, and click "credits".

[Dave James]

I may be stretching my recollective abilities, but it seems to me Billy Gardner also made an appearance or two on piano with one of Dave Bailey's groups. Maybe on "One Foot in the Gutter" or "Two Feet in the Gutter." For what it's worth, I much prefer him on piano.

Up over and out.

Edited April 8, 2005 by Dave James

[Dan Gould]

I may be stretching my recollective abilities, but it seems to me Billy Gardner also made an appearance or two on piano with one of Dave Bailey's groups. Maybe on "One Foot in the Gutter" or "Two Feet in the Gutter." For what it's worth, I much prefer him on piano.

Up over and out.

Good memory, Dave. He's on Two Feet in the Gutter.

Man, those three Bailey LPs really cry out for a Mosaic Select!

[Jazz Kat]

If I wanted to I could buy a brand new sealed copy of One foot in the Gutter, for 10 bucks, if I wanted to. It's sitting in my local record shop.

[Jazz Kat]

If only I could get a ride.

[Dan Gould]

If only I could get a ride.

if you can't, walk. Its worth it, and you're old enough to cross the street without supervision.

[Jazz Kat]

It takes about 20 minutes by car. I mean I haven't tried walking along the parkways yet. From what I hear, its pretty busy.

[Soul Stream]

Billy Gardner on piano ain't going to be worth the walk all that much. But Billy Gardner on the 3 George Braith albums is some of the best, most interesting and UNIQUE jazz organ ever played imho.

[Dan Gould]

Billy Gardner on piano ain't going to be worth the walk all that much.

No, and I didn't mean to imply that it was. I was referring to One Foot in the Gutter as a whole.

[Jazz Kat]

Billy Gardner on piano ain't going to be worth the walk all that much. But Billy Gardner on the 3 George Braith albums is some of the best, most interesting and UNIQUE jazz organ ever played imho.

I love his bass line on Mary Had A Little Lamb. Seemed like a very talented player to me, that should of gotten more recognition.

[Soul Stream]

Billy Gardner on piano ain't going to be worth the walk all that much.  But Billy Gardner on the 3 George Braith albums is some of the best, most interesting and UNIQUE jazz organ ever played imho.

I love his bass line on Mary Had A Little Lamb. Seemed like a very talented player to me, that should of gotten more recognition.

He died fairly young. In Chicago in the 70's I believe. GREAT organist and really unique in his settings and approach. He also plays Lou Donaldson's "Fried Buzzard" and Houston Person's "Truth", although his playing is more "generic" sounding on those dates than on the Braith stuff.

Didn't mean to dispute the "gutter" thing. Just that Billy wasn't doing much on that stuff to my ears, but like you said good albums.

[Jazz Kat]

He played extraduinary. Whenever I listen to Mary Ann from Two Souls In One, I always think I'm at the circus.

[Soul Stream]

He played extraduinary. Whenever I listen to Mary Ann from Two Souls In One, I always think I'm at the circus.

Hmmm. When people say jazz organ and circus in the same sentence, that's usually not a compliment. Some don't dig that organ sound(o.k, most), but as someone who has listened to a LOT of organ records, for myself, it sounds really good and unique. BG had his own thing going and that's hard to do on the B3, in the shadow of Jimmy Smith during his heyday.

[Jazz Kat]

A soulful circus. I love that song! And the organ sound. Basically all organ sounds.

[jeffcrom]

Well, I'm pretty late to the Billy Gardner party. Vinyl hounds should keep an eye out for Rippin' & Runnin' by Johnny Hodges. It's a really nice album pairing Hodges with a young (as of 1968) rhythm section - Gardner (listed as Willie Gardner), Jimmy Ponder, Ron Carter, and Freddie Waits. I just picked this up yesterday and I'm diggin' it.

Edited to add a thanks to sidewinder for pointing me in the right direction to figure out the "Willie" and "Billy" Gardner were one and the same.

Edited September 23, 2009 by jeffcrom

[Stereojack]

I saw Lou Donaldson at the Jazz Workshop in Boston around 1966-67, and Billy was on piano. Would've preferred to hear him on organ, but the club may not have been willing to rent an organ. Not an especially memorable evening of music, as I recall.

[ListeningToPrestige]

Is he the same Willie Gardner who worked with Juan Amalbert's Latin Jazz Quintet?

[mikeweil]

No idea. It has to be confirmed that Billy, Willy, and Willie Gardner all are the same person.

[ListeningToPrestige]

On the personnel listing for The Chant, he's listed as Willie Gardner. But Billy Taylor, in the album's liner notes, refers to him as Billy Gardner, so maybe it is the same guy.