Bill Charlap


William Morrison Charlap is an American jazz pianist and educator.
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Early life and education

Born in New York City, Bill Charlap is the son of American Broadway composer Moose Charlap and the singer Sandy Stewart. Stewart was a regular on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall television series and had a hit recording in 1962 with "My Coloring Book". Charlap is a distant cousin of the jazz pianist Dick Hyman.
Charlap began playing piano at the age of three. He studied classical music in addition to jazz.

Career

Early in Charlap's career, he was a member of Gerry Mulligan's band, first recording with it in 1989. He has also worked with Benny Carter, Tony Bennett, Phil Woods, Scott Hamilton, Ron Carter, and others. In 1993, he released his first album under his own name, Along With Me. In the mid-1990s, he was the musical director of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, A Celebration of Johnny Mercer, part of New York's JVC Jazz Festival. In 1995, he joined the Phil Woods Quintet.
In 1997, Charlap first recorded with a trio that included the unrelated musicians Peter Washington and Kenny Washington. This trio continued to record and perform live through the 2020s. Charlap has been nominated for multiple instrumental Grammy Awards. Somewhere was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Live At The Village Vanguard was nominated in the same category at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, and Uptown, Downtown at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
In addition to the instrumental jazz recordings that he has released, Charlap has frequently recorded with singers. He recorded Love Is Here to Stay and Something to Remember with his mother, Sandy Stewart. In 2016, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, an album featuring Charlap and Tony Bennett, won the award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. As a backing musician, he has recorded with Carol Sloane, Freddie Cole, Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall, and others.
Charlap appears at least twice a year for engagements at jazz clubs, including the Village Vanguard. Since 2001, he has recorded as a member of the studio group New York Trio for the Japanese label Venus Records with bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Stewart.
Charlap succeeded Dick Hyman as artistic director of New York City's 92nd Street Y Jazz in July six-program series after Hyman's 20th year in 2004. He remained director through 2023. He and his wife, Canadian jazz pianist Renee Rosnes, released an album of piano duets Double Portrait on Blue Note Records/EMI.
In 2008, Charlap became part of The Blue Note 7, a septet formed that year in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. The group recorded an album in 2008, Mosaic, which was released in 2009 on Blue Note/EMI, and toured the United States in promotion of the album from January to April 2009. The group plays the music of Blue Note Records from various artists, with arrangements by members of the band and his wife Renee Rosnes.
In September 2015, Charlap became the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

Personal life

He married the Canadian jazz pianist Renee Rosnes in New York City on August 25, 2007. He has two daughters from a previous marriage and one stepson from Rosnes’ previous marriage to Billy Drummond.

Discography

As a member

The Blue Note 7Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records – recorded in 2008
Other Blue Note appearances

As sideman

With Harry AllenHarry Allen Plays Ellington Songs with the Bill Charlap Trio – recorded in 1999Blues for Pres and Teddy
With Ronnie BedfordTour de West: Where the Beboppers Roam Just Friends
With Keter Betts Bass Buddies & Blues Bass, Buddies, Blues & Beauty Too Pinky's Waltz: Keter Betts, Live At Montpelier!
With Ruby BraffYou Brought a New Kind of Love Variety is the Spice of Braff
With Jon GordonAsk Me Now Spark Witness Evolution
With Conrad HerwigHeart of Darkness Hieroglyphica
With Jay LeonhartWith His Friends Great Duets
With Carol SloaneWhen I Look in Your Eyes The Songs Carmen Sang The Songs Sinatra Sang The Songs Ella & Louis Sang
With Sean SmithLIVE! Poise
With Byron StriplingStripling Now! – recorded 1998 Byron, Get One Free...
With Phil Woods
  • 1996: Mile High Jazz: Live in Denver
  • 1996: Astor & Elis
  • 1996: Live 1996
  • 1997: Chasin' the Bird
  • 1997: Celebration )
  • 2000: Voyage with the Bill Charlap Trio at the Floating Jazz Festival Aboard the QE2
  • 2002: The Thrill is Gone with strings
  • 2002: The Great American Songbook, Volumes 1 & 2
  • 2004: This is How I Feel About Quincy
  • 2008: Ballads & Blues
With others