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Will Boyd

Multi-reed instrumentalist, composer, educator Will Boyd hails from soul sax tradition like artists Eddie Harris, Hank Crawford, David "Fat Head" Newman, King Curtis and Yusef Lateef. Originally from Orangeburg SC by way of Queens NY, Will currently resides in Knoxville TN. He is a member of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and currently has 2 solo albums “Live at the Red Piano Lounge” and “Freedom Soul Jazz”. Will also co-leads a group with Wife, jazz radio host, and founder of the Knoxville Women in Jazz Jam Festival Kelle Jolly.

Will was playing with professional local R&B groups before he was 18. He then received more training at the music program at South Carolina State University where he received BA in Music Business and met future wife vocalist Kelle Jolly. There he played on the jazz ensemble that boasted distinguished alumni such as tenor man Houston Person, trombonist Ron Westray (Lincoln Center Alum), and trumpeter Charlton Singleton (Ranky Tanky). There he also played in the concert band and the Marching 101. Was inducted into the university’s jazz hall of fame in 1997.

Will would later become a staple in the music scene in Columbia SC where he would play with mostly fusion, funk, and soul bands. There he got opportunities to play with legends in this field including local guitarist, educator Robert Newton, drummer John Blackwell (Prince, Justin Timberlake), trombonist Fred Wesley (JB’s, James Brown) and soul singer William Bell. Through a chance encounter with saxophonist Patrick Langham (Brubeck institute) would lead him to Knoxville TN.

Will moved to Knoxville in early 2000s, and enrolled into the University of TN program where he would receive his Masters of Jazz Studies. During this period Will worked with many local soul, blues and jazz bands, while also studying and performing with prominent jazz educators saxophonist, author Jerry Coker (Woody Herman), South African free jazz artist Zim Ngqawana, and pianist, composer, producer Donald Brown (Art Blakey Jazz Messengers).

Since then, Will has had the opportunity to perform with many artists across genres including Leslie Odom Jr (Hamilton), Wycliffe Gordon (Lincoln Center), Doc Severinsen (Tonight Show), Crissy Collins (Beyonce), Chris Blue (The Voice), Glen Jones, Jeff Coffin (Bella Fleck, Dave Mathews), Rick Simerly, Blanch McCallister- Dykes (Donald Lawrence), Elise Testone (American Idol), Amy Bormet, Laura Theadore, Dave Eggar, Regina Carter, Four Tops, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James big band. He is also on recordings which include artists such as Nicholas Payton, Michael Dease, Greg Tardy, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Scales, Eric Reed, Carmon Bradford, Chris Potter, Jeremy Pelt, Tim Green, Russell Gunn and Darryl Hall. Will has performed at many music festivals from Big Ears in Knoxville TN, to Peter Barakan's It's Magic in Tokyo JP.

Multi-Woodwind Instrumentalist Will Boyd Releases Debut CD "Live At Red Piano Lounge"!

Source: Craig Neely
February 17, 2018

Queens New York born and Orangeburg, South Carolina raised multi-reed instrumentalist, composer and band leader Will Boyd makes a sizzling debut with the Will Boyd Music CD release of Live At The Red Piano Lounge recorded at his adopted hometown of Knoxville Tennessee's premier jazzroom and scheduled for a February 2018 release! It was as a youngster and living in the family home in Orangeburg that was filled with a wide range of music from The Isley Bros. and Manhattan ...
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Festival

Jazz This Week: Fareed Haque's Mathgames, Jeff Coffin, Johnny Boyd, Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival, the Wee Trio, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
September 19, 2013

If you've checked out the first three parts of StLJN's fall 2013 jazz preview, you already may have realized that we're heading into what could be the busiest three weeks of the season, with a wide assortment of touring musicians and special events coming up. Here's a look at the highlights of the next few days... Tonight, guitarist Fareed Haque brings his fusion band Mathgames to The Gramophone; saxophonist Chad Evans leads a quartet in a free concert for the ...
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Recording

Boyd Lee Dunlop: Solo Piano

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 25, 2013

Every blue moon, someone like Boyd Lee Dunlop comes along who blows jazz fans' minds. In December 2011, Dunlop, a jazz pianist, was discovered in a Buffalo, N.Y., nursing home. He was profiled on NPR and in newspapers, including The New York Times (go here), and he recorded an album—Boyd's Blues. Then everything came crashing down. The 85-year-old Boyd suffered a heart attack and was thought to be dead for about six minutes. Medics were able to get his heart ...
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Career

Molly Ringwald Joins Gail Boyd Artist Management

Source: Michael Ricci
December 14, 2011

Gail Boyd Artist Management is very pleased to announce the addition of singer/songwriter/actress Molly Ringwald to it's roster. Molly Ringwald has always surrounded herself with a love of culture and good taste. A true renaissance woman, she has been surrounded by music, theater, film, and literary pursuits her whole life. She was introduced to jazz by her father, a jazz pianist in Northern California. In fact, she sang on an album that he produced when she was three years old. ...
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Performance / Tour

Robyn Hitchcock and Joe Boyd: Music/Spoken Word Tour

Source: JamBase
January 22, 2011

“LIVE & DIRECT FROM 1967" FEATURES SONGS AND STORIES FROM BOYD'S CAREER, INCLUDING SUCH ARTISTS AS PINK FLOYD, NICK DRAKE, BOB DYLAN AND JIMI HENDRIX Psychedelic troubadour Robyn Hitchcock has announced plans to team up with legendary producer Joe Boyd for an unprecedented series of live performances. “Robyn Hitchcock & Joe Boyd—Live & Direct From 1967" is a very special evening of songs and stories, melding Hitchcock's musical performances of songs produced by Boyd with Boyd's own reminiscences of his ...
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Obituary

Jimmy Boyd Singer of 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
March 9, 2009

Jimmy Boyd, a singer best known for recording the Christmas novelty hit “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1952 when he was 13, died Saturday. He was 70.

Boyd, who also was a child actor, died of cancer at a Santa Monica convalescent hospital, said Eleanor Pillsbury, a longtime friend.

Three weeks after the yuletide kiss-and-tell was released, the song was No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It sold 2 million records in less than 10 weeks. Tens of ...
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Event

Harlem Speaks Presents Author and Journalist Herb Boyd Thursday, August 25th 6:30pm-8:00pm

Source: All About Jazz
August 22, 2005

August 22, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Jazz Museum in Harlem 104 East 126th Street New York, NY 10035 www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org Harlem Speaks Presents Author and Journalist Herb Boyd Herb Boyd (August 25th) New York, NY (August 18, 2005) With 40+ years of journalism under his belt, Harlemite Herb Boyd can speak with authority about his field, especially as it relates to jazz. He’s a long-time devotee of the music ...
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Performance / Tour

Harlem Speaks Swings in Summer! Seleno Clarke (August 11th) Herb Boyd (August 25th)

Source: All About Jazz
August 1, 2005

Harlem Speaks Swings in Summer! Seleno Clarke (August 11th) Herb Boyd (August 25th) New York, NY (August 1, 2005) Harlem Speaks, the Jazz Museum in Harlem's interview series with jazz lights of Harlem, forwards its summer set with Seleno Clarke, special guest on Thursday, August 11th. Clarke, like recent guest, saxophonist Bill Saxton, is yet another Harlem jazz treasure. One of the few living masters of the Hammond “B3" organ, Clarke will discuss his 40+ years in the music business. ...
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More than one jazz artist has told me that his goal on stage is to recreate the joy and intensity of church music. Saxist and flute player Will Boyd does that in spades as he takes on the Great American Sunday Hymnal and gives it extra spiritual muscle with support from Bobby Lyle/org-p, Kelle Jolly voc-uk, Gregory Tardy/ts, Larry Vincent- David Bivens/g, David Becher/b, Kenneth Brown/dr and Kevin Krapf/perc. While most of the tunes are spirit-filled instrumentals, on a couple of tracks Jolly gets the place rolling on inspired takes of “Every Time I Feel The Spirit” as well as the strutting “Marching to Freedom Land” and closing up the service with the anthem “We Shall Overcome” accompanied by the leader’s rich soprano. The band gives a hip Crescent City beat to the fervent “…Spirit” while delving into a deep and rich modal mood for “Go Down Moses.” Boyd’s baritone sax takes you to a Memphis house of worship for “August Eighth” while his bass clarinet is a balm in Gilead for the flowing “Deep River.” Boyd brings his alto sax into a trio mode with accompaniment by Lyle on organ and Brown’s drum for a gospel beat of “Keep Your Hand On The Plow” with the whole band shuffling down the pews on June Teenth.” Stick around for the Bible study! George W. Harris Jazz Weekly, November 21 2019 WILL BOYD WILL BOYD/Live at the Red Piano Lounge: This mad sax man is much more of a blower than you might think if you just give a cursory listen to the beginning of the set and think he's just another solo show off. When the band kicks in, the kicking really begins. A cat that's firmly in the tradition and knows how to send up a joyful noise, this is a new leader to keep an ear out for. Happy, buoyant playing runs the table here and a good time will be had by all. Well done. Volume 41/Number 192 May 11, 2017 MIDWEST RECORD 830 W. Route 22 #144 Lake Zurich, IL., 60047 CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher Copyright 2018 Midwest Record

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