Bill Triglia

[Justin V]

RIP, Mr. Triglia. Coincidentally, I've been planning on listening to Fruscella's Tony's Blues for the past few days. That's an album that really should be under Triglia's name.

[B. Goren.]

This one will find his way to my CD player today:

RIP Mr. Triglia.

[AllenLowe]

Bill was nuts, in the nicest possible way, and in my opinion one of the two or three best bebop pianists of his generation (had a very interesting style that seemed to combine Al Haig/Bud Powell/Hank Jones). Also had a lot of private tapes he made on a good reel-to-reel, only a few which have been issued (he was house pianist for a time at Birdland and apparently had some great stuff with Sonny Rollins). He survived a terrible kamikazee attack on his ship during World War II (I always though part of his nuttyness was PTSD), can be heard to perhaps best advantage on the Mingus/Debut thing with Knepper and Joe Maini (he's also on the Schildkraut CD I put out; plays great, though he had lost some depth through his years of lounge work). I have an interview of him which I may, if I have enought time, transcribe. He remembered everyone and everything (never touched alcohol or dope) and his memories were regularly confirmed by third parties. Played with Lester Young, too - and had an INCREDIBLE story about working an Orthodox Jewish wedding where Bird showed up (the bass player was Wilbur Ware!) and played.