Willis "Bill" Holman passes away

[ddsbstrb]

I was very saddened to read that Willis "Bill" Holman passed away on Monday, May 6, 2024, at the age of 96. I remember buying my first LP called Bill Holman's Great Big Band, as a teen ager, when I was in high school in 1960.

I also was very fortunate to be able to perform with the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, when Bill came to Dayton, as we performed an evening of Bill Holman's arrangements. That would have been sometime in the 1990's or early 2000's.

I am sure most of us have played many of Bill's great arrangements in the big bands we have worked in over the years.

May he Rest In Peace.

[tim]

He was great, and and great arranger too. RIP my friend.
Tz

[Bach5G]

Another legend passes.

[AndrewMeronek]

I love his stuff.

[tbdana]

He was an L.A. favorite for decades. He will be missed.

[greenbean]

I have SO many recordings on which he was the arranger. Great stuff.

[Burgerbob]

Played in his band a few times here in LA, last time just a year ago according to my calendar. Fun band, great charts.

[EriKon]

Terry Gibbs Dream Band playing all his charts on those 5 or 6 albums is still my bigband Bible. Very sad to hear!

[Doubler]

Another legend gone, but not forgotten.

[AndrewMeronek]

Ran across this from last year.



The sound engineer (unlike the camera operator apparently) actually knows that a bass trombone exists in a big band. Very nice.

[nelson31]

Ran across this from last year.



The sound engineer (unlike the camera operator apparently) actually knows that a bass trombone exists in a big band. Very nice.

The introduction of this video has Willis mentioning the passing of trumpet player Carl Sauders, a very important piece of his band for many years. It is really a beautiful thing to appreciate that Willis's last live performance was at Carl's memorial concert at the AFM Local 47 in Burbank. Just a few months after this video was recorded. I like to believe they're cuttin' it up somewhere together now.