Gary Willis’ most recent solo album, “Retro”, was released in February 2013. The new trio includes Gergo Borlai, a Catalan pianist and Albert Bover, a drummer. Vintage Jazz mixed with Willis’ energetic touch. There is also a melodic side that he has shown in smaller amounts throughout his career. Willis has been a member of Tribal Tech, along with Wayne Shorter and Allan Holdsworth. The band has released ten critically acclaimed CDs since Scott Henderson joined the ranks of Tribal Tech. 2012 saw the release “X” from Tribal Tech, a supergroup that has been missing for 12 years. “X” is the latest album from this musical jazz fusion group. It features their energetic arrangements and interactive improvisation. The kind of synergies that result in a masterpiece such as “X” are only possible when there is a rich musical heritage crafted by virtuoso performers. Triphasic was another recent project. In 2009, their first album, “Shaman,” was published. Llibert Fortuny, Llibert Gomez and David Gomez are the members of this eclectic-electric trio. They play tenor sax and electronics with vocal effects. Willis’s recent explorations focused on creating a synched visual experience for the trio’s live performances. Willis is now the VJ and helps navigate the electronic sequences the band creates. Gary Willis’ 2007 releases included “Actual Fiction” as well as the avant-jam-trio, “Slaughterhouse 3”. Early reviews of “Actual fiction” have said that it was “everything you liked about Tribal Tech and leaps ahead a few light years.” Fortuny, Covington, and Willis all shine on this fascinating album, which hopefully will be the beginning of many more collaborations. Willis’ solo debut was with “No Sweat”, a September 1996 release featuring amazing performances by Dennis Chambers (drums), Scott Kinsey (keyboards), and Steve Tavaglione (woodwinds and EWI). Willis also added Bob Berg’s fiery voice and Kirk Covington, a long-time Tribal Tech colleague/drummer, to the 1998 sequel “Bent”. Bent lives up its title. It takes jazz’s “rules”, through dynamic compositions, rhythm-defying Improv, and bends them to the needs of the best musicians on the current scene. The all-star cast is not a “chopfest”, but listeners are treated to great musicians performing tastefully, musically, and without self-indulgence. Willis, who has been a Barcelona resident since 2004, teaches composition, arranging and improvisation at Barcelona’s Escola Superior de Muzica de Catalunya conservatory. As part of North Texas State University’s legendary jazz program, Willis studied improvisation and arranging. After years of playing guitar, he moved to North Texas State University and studied improvisation and arranging.
