Bill Risby

A gifted child prodigy, Bill commenced piano at age 3, and was the youngest student to study piano at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music (Australia), playing 7th Grade pieces by the time he was 7 years old. At age 8, he received a four year private scholarship to study piano under Albert Landa, and after high school, completed an Associate Diploma in Jazz Studies with Merit in 1987.
By the time he was 15, he had already performed in Bartok Festivals, Piano Competitions, and Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" as solo pianist, going on to perform Leonard Bernstein's "Mass", as well as gigs around town with the "pop" bands of the moment.
He started to frequent famed music spots in Sydney such as the Basement and the old All Nations Club to check out the music scene he would soon be a big part of. Around this time he started playing Electric Bass, which he occasionally plays at the same time as the piano, but usually not.
Shortly after his studies, he founded the group "The Storytellers" which played a combination of Bill's original material and electric jazz covers (Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny) - the 4 piece group did many live gigs as well as many Gospel music festivals around Australia. Some of Bill's tunes from this group can be found on his new album, "Falling".

Recorded work
Bill has recorded six albums to date, including a new album for the record label Instinctive Travels called "Around The World" (see the CD page). He has also co-written and played on the newest Dale Barlow record for the same label entitled "Hopscotch". In between all of his own recordings Bill plays on other people's albums....
He has arranged, produced and played on many albums (piano and bass) from gospel, jazz, country, R&B, pop and beyond. The latest stand out recording is the track ìPaper Aeroplanesî from Kasey Chambersí new album, ìWayward Angelî.
Other notable recordings are: "De-Classified" by Leon Gaer and Tom Ferris; ìAccentuate The Positiveî with Mark Rivett & Emma Pask: ìNew Shadowî by Felicity, ìThe Way The World Isî by Tamara Stewart, and "Deeper & Deeper" by Geoff Bullock (with the Prague Symphony Orchestra); ìLittle Victoriesî and ìWild At Heartî by Beccy Cole; Most recently "Jazz" albums "Beautifully Mad" by Tony King and Kris Ralph (Makin' Whoopee), "Face the Music" by Anthony Warlow; ìUnspokenî by Adrian Cunningham, and "Bright Window" by Rachel Gaudry.
Bill is responsible for many television commercials as well as recording for Australian TV dramas such as Wildside for the ABC, Young Lions on Channel 9, and live tv appearances.
Live work
Bill has played with international artists such as the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Shew, William Gallison, Kitty Margolis, Rob McConnell (Boss Brass), the Velotti Batiste Jazz Ensemble (Italy), Andre Crouch, and Doug Cameron, among others.
He has performed with many diverse Australian popular artists such as Tina Arena, Glen Shorrock, Barry Leef, Marcia Hines, Daryl Braithwaite, James Reyne, Ross Wilson, James Morrison, Gina Jeffreys, Vanessa Amorosi, Jon Stevens, Jenny Morris, Sharon O'Neill, Mark Williams, Erana Clark, Steve Clisby, Louise Perryman and Emma Pask to name but a few.
He has done supports for Dionne Warwick, Thelma Houston, Julio Iglesias, and US saxophone player Steve Lacy.
He has played with Radio NHK Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo), The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and recorded with the Prague Symphony Orchestra.
Recent trips to Japan with The Jeff Duff Orchestra has seen Bill share more of his talents with yet again another audience. Travelling with just the core members of The Orchestra (Jeff Duff - vocals and Jane Rosenson, harpist with Opera Australia), Bill rehearsed and conducted the newer members through his string arrangements of both originals and covers which made for some interesting linguistic gymnastics. During dinner that night Bill accidentally let a whole restaurant know (with his chopsticks placement) that his whole family had passed away... A fine cultural experience.

Nettsted: http://www.billrisby.com