Billy James (drummer)


William "Billy" James was an American jazz drummer.

Early life

James was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He began performing jazz at the age of 15.

Career

James worked with Lionel Hampton and Booker Ervin in the 1950s, and in the early 1960s with James Moody, Candido Camero, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Don Patterson, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. He and Patterson frequently recorded as a duo. James led his own groups in the latter half of the 1960s and worked further with Stitt during this time as well as with Eric Kloss. Later associations include Eddie Harris and Houston Person.

Discography

With Eddie HarrisInstant Death Eddie Harris Sings the Blues Excursions Is It In
With Don PattersonGoin' Down Home The Exciting New Organ of Don Patterson Hip Cake Walk Patterson's People Holiday Soul Satisfaction! The Boss Men Soul Happening! Mellow Soul Four Dimensions Boppin' & Burnin' Opus De Don Funk You! Brothers-4 Donny Brook Tune Up! Movin' Up!
With Sonny StittBoss Tenors in Orbit! -with Gene AmmonsFeelin's... Low Flame Shangri-La Soul People Night Crawler Deuces Wild Made for Each Other Soul Electricity! It's Magic Just The Way It Was
With othersLegends Of Acid Jazz: Gene Ammons -included as a CD bonus is the single, "I Can't Stop Loving You" b/w "My Babe", recorded in 1962 by Gene Ammons with the Don Patterson/Paul Weeden/Billy James trio, and later released on the various artists compilation The Soul Jazz Giants in 1971.