William Osborne Kyle (July 14, 1914 – February 23, 1966) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist. He is perhaps best known as an

accompanist Accompaniment is the part (music), musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmony (music), harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in ...

Biography

Kyle was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. He began playing the piano in school and by the early 1930s worked with

Lucky Millinder Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing and rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical ...

Tiny Bradshaw Myron Carlton "Tiny" Bradshaw (September 23, 1907 – November 26, 1958)
- accessed July 2010 was an American

and later the

Mills Blue Rhythm Band The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was an American big band active during the 1930s. The band was formed in New York City, United States, in 1930 by drummer Willie Lynch as the Blue Rhythm Band, and then briefly operated as the Coconut Grove Orchestra. ...

. In 1938, he joined John Kirby's sextet, but was drafted in 1942. After the war, he worked with Kirby's band briefly and also worked with

Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his ...

. He then spent thirteen years as a member of Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, and performed in the 1956 musical ''

High Society High society, sometimes simply society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open to men based ...

''. A fluent pianist with a light touch, Kyle always worked steadily. He died in

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...

. Kyle had few opportunities to record as a leader and none during his Armstrong years, some octet and septet sides in 1937, two songs with a quartet in 1939, and outings in 1946 with a trio and an octet. He was the co-author of the song "Billy's Bounce", recorded by the

Modern Jazz Quartet The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was a jazz combo established in 1952 that played music influenced by classical music, classical, cool jazz, blues and bebop. For most of its history the Quartet consisted of John Lewis (pianist), John Lewis (piano), ...

in 1992 with

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rap ...

on the album, ''MJQ and Friends''.

Discography

As sideman

* '' Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy'' (Columbia, 1954) * ''Satch Plays Fats'' (Columbia, 1955) * ''At Newport'' (Columbia, 1956) * '' Louis and the Angels'' (Decca, 1957) * ''Satchmo On Stage'' (Decca, 1957) * ''Satchmo Plays King Oliver'' (Audio Fidelity, 1960) * '' Hello, Dolly!'' (Kapp, 1964) * ''At the Crescendo'' (MCA, 1973) With others *

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

, ''Summit Sessions'' (Columbia, 1971) *

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

, ''

Buck Clayton Jams Benny Goodman ''Buck Clayton Jams Benny Goodman'' is an album by trumpeter Buck Clayton performing tunes associated with Benny Goodman. The album was recorded in 1953 and 1954 and released by Columbia. Track listing # "Christopher Columbus" (Chu Berry, An ...

'' (Columbia, 1955) * Buck Clayton, ''

Jumpin' at the Woodside "Jumpin' at the Woodside" is a song first recorded in 1938 by the Count Basie Orchestra, and considered one of the band's signature tunes. When first released it reached number 11 on the ''Billboard'' charts and remained on them for four weeks. ...

'' (Columbia, 1955) *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, ''

Ella Sings Gershwin ''Ella Sings Gershwin'' is a 1950 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the pianist Ellis Larkins. Issued on DL5300 on the Decca label, this was Fitzgerald's first album. Originally on 10" vinyl, which preceded album releases on 12" vi ...

'' (Decca, 1956) *

Al Hibbler Albert George Hibbler (August 16, 1915 – April 24, 2001) was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of Hibbler's singing is classified as rhythm and blue ...

, '' After the Lights Go Down Low'' (Atlantic, 1957) * John Kirby, ''Biggest Little Band in the Land'' (DJM, 1975) *

Charlie Shavers Charles James Shavers (August 3, 1920 – July 8, 1971) was an American jazz trumpeter who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone, Sidney Bechet, Midge Williams, Tommy Dorsey, and Billie Holiday. He ...

, ''The Complete Charlie Shavers with Maxine Sullivan'' (Bethlehem, 1957) *

Rex Stewart Rex William Stewart Jr. (February 22, 1907 – September 7, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Career As a boy he studied piano and violin; most of his career was spent on cornet. Stewart drop ...

, ''Rex Stewart and the Ellingtonians'' (Riverside, 1960)

References

External links

MIDI sequences of ''5 Blues Piano Solos by Billy Kyle

Billy Kyle recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

. 1914 births 1966 deaths American jazz pianists American male pianists Musicians from Philadelphia 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Mills Blue Rhythm Band members {{US-jazz-pianist-stub