Inventory of Bill Lee compositions

[bertrand]

For a volunteer project that I am working on (more on that later), I am trying to put together an inventory of compositions written by Bill Lee (Spike's father).

Only some online discographies have composer credits, and I went through those. Lord etc. do not have this feature. I can't seem to figure out how to do it with allmusic anymore under the new design. And of course, I went through my personal collection (Max Roach, Clifford Jordan, Frank Strozier). There's a Richard Davis LP I do not have. What makes it trickier is that he often does not play on the records that include his compositions.

Does anyone have titles for the pieces he wrote for his son's early movies? She's Gotta Have It is all Bill Lee and I have that covered, but what about School Daze, Do The Right Thing etc? Those have some Bill Lee pieces, but also other music. Has the soundtrack to the short Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop ever been issued? I think Joe Chambers was involved in that one, as well as She's Gotta Have It.

Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bertrand.

[mjzee]

Why not try contacting him? He might not be hard to find:

NY Times

Elements of Jazz

[Joe]

No Bill Lee composer credits on Griffin's CHANGE OF PACE (which I find somewhat surprising), but "Connie's Bounce" is credited to Consuela Lee... wife? Sister?

[AllenLowe]

I think you should get paid first for any volunteer activity.

[bertrand]

1) Contacting him is definitely something we plan on doing later, but the project is still in its infancy.

2) Consuela Lee Morehead is Bill's sister/Spike's Aunt, also a fine composer but not exclusively jazz. That tune is also on a Max Roach record, but credited to both Bill and Consuela. I'll have to look into that.

3) There seems to be a CD of the score to Do The Right Thing, i.e. not the movie soundtrack. I may try to find a copy or buy the DL. Does anyone know the personnel on this? I'm assuming Joe Chambers is not involved. Looks like Branford Marsalis might be.

Bertrand.

PS: Thanks for remembering the Griffin record. It seems there ARE two Bill Lee tunes on it. This is great, and exactly what I was looking for - pieces scattered here and there. Hard to remember all of them, and the Lord CD does not have composers...

Kind of like Cal Massey, except there is at least a list on the web for Massey that can be used as a starting point.

I will see what I can find at allmusic and at the copyright office.

Edited July 15, 2012 by bertrand

[Michael Weiss]

Go to BMI.com

When you scroll over the SEARCH menu bar, under REPERTOIRE SEARCH select SONGWRITER/COMPOSER, then enter LEE BILL.

Then select #3 LEE BILL, with the CAE/IPI #17623694.

That will bring up 148 compositions. When you click on a tune, it will likely bring up Bill's publishing company, NEW VERSION MUSIC. When you click on that, it will bring up Bill's contact info.

[bertrand]

This is great, Michael. Thanks!

Of course, it seems to be incomplete - I don't see 'Don't Follow The Crowd'.

What are 'BG Cues'?

Bertrand.

[Joe]

[...]

2) Consuela Lee Morehead is Bill's sister/Spike's Aunt, also a fine composer but not exclusively jazz. That tune is also on a Max Roach record, but credited to both Bill and Consuela. I'll have to look into that.

[...]

PS: Thanks for remembering the Griffin record. It seems there ARE two Bill Lee tunes on it. This is great, and exactly what I was looking for - pieces scattered here and there. Hard to remember all of them, and the Lord CD does not have composers...

[...]

And thanks to you for that info re: Consuela Lee.

Also glad to know that my recollections of Lee's role on CHANGE OF PACE (one of my favorite Griffin sessions, BTW) were more accurate than the AMG account. Which tunes on that date are credited to Lee?

[Rooster_Ties]

Would it be fair to say that "John Coltrane" is Lee's best known tune?? (I've cued my link to the beginning of the head, and to the best known recording that I know of it, namely from Clifford Jordan's "Glass Bead Games", Strata-East 1973).

Or if not "John Coltrane", are there any other more notable Bill Lee tunes that are or should be more widely known??

FYI, Lee also penned two other tunes from the same "Glass Bead Games" session(s): "Eddie Harris" and "Biskit". Also, FYI, "John Coltrane" was co-written by Bill and Clifton(?) Lee (how is/was CLifton related to Bill?) -- and the other two were only by Bill Lee.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Rooster_Ties

[Rooster_Ties]

Quite a number of Bill Lee tunes to be found on this album (which I've never heard, but have always been curious about)...

The Brass Company, Colors (Strata-East, 1974/5)

Is this worth tracking down? It sure looks good on paper.

[Michael Weiss]

BG: [not haven't seen the context] Background?

[Rooster_Ties]

Bump to ask again if "John Coltrane" is Bill Lee's best-known tune? Or if not, then what is? (Not that anything he wrote is especially well known.)

Here's a couple recent versions.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Rooster_Ties

[Hot Ptah]

Consuela Lee Morehead is a fine jazz pianist. During Richard Davis' first school year as a music professor at the University of Wisconsin, 1977-78, he featured her in a trio performance gig at Bunky's, one of Madison's leading music clubs at the time. Consuela was consistently swinging, inventive and soulful in her piano playing. It was a memorable concert.

For a volunteer project that I am working on (more on that later), I am trying to put together an inventory of compositions written by Bill Lee (Spike's father).

Only some online discographies have composer credits, and I went through those. Lord etc. do not have this feature. I can't seem to figure out how to do it with allmusic anymore under the new design. And of course, I went through my personal collection (Max Roach, Clifford Jordan, Frank Strozier). There's a Richard Davis LP I do not have. What makes it trickier is that he often does not play on the records that include his compositions.

Does anyone have titles for the pieces he wrote for his son's early movies? She's Gotta Have It is all Bill Lee and I have that covered, but what about School Daze, Do The Right Thing etc? Those have some Bill Lee pieces, but also other music. Has the soundtrack to the short Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop ever been issued? I think Joe Chambers was involved in that one, as well as She's Gotta Have It.

Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bertrand.

Which Richard Davis LP do you not have? I probably have it and will read the information on it for you.

[Rooster_Ties]

"John Coltrane"?

[Rooster_Ties]

Or maybe another angle: What are the most significant albums that feature tunes written by Bill Lee? (And would it be fair to say those tunes represent him best?)

[bertrand]

1) The two pieces by Bill Lee on the Johnny Griffin record are 'Nocturne' and 'As We All Know'. These have no composer credit on the AMG.

2) Clifton Lee is listed as a trumpet player on the Brass Company record. He must be a relative.

3) I think there are some Bill Lee pieces on Richard Davis' With Understanding.

4) 'John Coltrane' is definitely one of the better-known ones, but 'Deeds, Not Words' and 'Jodie's Cha-Cha' are also known through Max Roach's versions.

I would say that the piece 'Nola' (vocal version) from the soundtrack to She's Gotta Have It is probably his best-known tune. Anyone who has seen the movie will remember it because of the dancers and the fact that it is the scene in the movie in color. And the number of people on the planet who have seen this film probably far surpasses the number of people who have heard the Roach or Jordan records!

Bertrand.

[webbcity]

Wasn't the title track from "Mo' Better Blues" written by Bill Lee? If so, I would think that's gotta be the most well-known of his compositions, no? "John Coltrane" is certainly one of his best tunes though, IMHO.

My personal favorite things involving Bill Lee are Clifford Jordan's Glass Bead Games and the She's Gotta Have It soundtrack...both essential!

[l p]

"new york bass violin choir" on root strata - all compositions by him.

i keep waiting for www.thirteen.org/soul/ to post the new york bass violin choir show from their archives. i have the audio of this, and it is great.

Edited August 31, 2012 by l p

[webbcity]

"new york bass violin choir" on root strata - all compositions by him.

i keep waiting for www.thirteen.org/soul/ to post the new york bass violin choir show from their archives. i have the audio of this, and it is great.

Oh man! Would love to see/hear that...I don't think they've updated that site in a long time though. In fact, I think I recall emailing them a while ago and they said they had no plans to add any more shows.