Biography
Born William Francis O’Connell on 22 August 1953 in New York City, New York, USA, the pianist grew up in Port Washington on Long Island. While still a student he took lessons from his uncle Bill Wisnewski; later he enrolled at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for piano and composition, and spent an additional year working with Richie Beirach in New York City. Between the late 1970s and early 1980s he appeared alongside Mongo Santamaría for two years and spent single years each with Chet Baker and Sonny Rollins. Beginning in the mid-1980s he formed a durable partnership with Dave Valentin that encompassed both live performance and joint composition; the association extended across the following two decades and remained active into the early 2000s.
His formative listening drew from John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, and a wide range of Latin sources, the last of which became the prevailing thread in his work. A substantial share of his professional life has therefore been devoted to an elegant strain of Latin jazz, a setting that highlights his lyrical keyboard style. Additional recording and performing credits, both as leader and sideman, include Randy Brecker, Conrad Herwig, Gato Barbieri, Emily Remler, Nnenna Freelon, Astrud Gilberto, Kenny Rankin, Jon Lucien, and Jerry González And The Fort Apache Band. He has four times been named SESAC Jazz Writer Of The Year.
His formative listening drew from John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, and a wide range of Latin sources, the last of which became the prevailing thread in his work. A substantial share of his professional life has therefore been devoted to an elegant strain of Latin jazz, a setting that highlights his lyrical keyboard style. Additional recording and performing credits, both as leader and sideman, include Randy Brecker, Conrad Herwig, Gato Barbieri, Emily Remler, Nnenna Freelon, Astrud Gilberto, Kenny Rankin, Jon Lucien, and Jerry González And The Fort Apache Band. He has four times been named SESAC Jazz Writer Of The Year.
Albums