Past Events
January 11, 2007 - Billy Bang

Violinist Billy Bang returned from a five-week trip to Vietnam to be the guest of Harlem Speaks on January 11, 2007. Bang was suffering from serious jet lag, but persevered with humor and grace through the two hour discussion. He explained that although he was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1947, his family moved to Harlem while he was still a baby. While going to school at JHS 106 he was nicknamed Billy Bang after a cartoon character, and over his initial protests, it stuck. His given name is William Vincent Walker. Around the same time, his primary interest turned to music, and he took up the violin, switching to percussion in the early '60s when he became captivated by Afro-Cuban rhythms.One interesting note made by Bang was that he was given the violin because of how smart he was—the brighter students were routinely tracked to play European classical music.While attending a Massachusetts prep school under full scholarship, earned because of his high I.Q., he met and began playing with fellow-student, folk-singer Arlo Guthrie. Drafted into the army following graduation, Bang was sent to Vietnam, a painful experience that profoundly affected his life. Returning home and radicalized, Billy became active in the anti-war movement, and by the late '60s had returned to music.But how he came back to music was fascinating: “Since I knew about weaponry, I was a favorite of some of the militants. One day we went into a pawn shop to purchase some weapons. I heard a sound, like wind blowing. I looked up and saw a violin. I heard the sounds several more times. No one else seemed to hear this! Although my comrades thought I was crazy, I bought the violin.”He loved the music and approach of Eric Dolphy, and began trying to emulate his intervals and manner of breathing, but on the violin. He attended Queens College on the G.I. Bill, and studied privately with renowned violinist Leroy Jenkins. He also became a key member of the New York avant-garde scene of the '70s. He also recalled practicing in Rucker Park and playing at Minisink in Harlem.

Forming his own group, The Survival Ensemble, and working with artists like David Murray, Frank Lowe, William Parker and the legendary Sam Rivers, Bang began to reach an international audience in 1977 with the String Trio, remaining with the cooperative ensemble for nine years. In 1982 began a ten-year association with the cosmic bandleader Sun Ra, concluding with a 1992 quartet recording for Soul Note, "A Tribute to Stuff Smith," dedicated to the father of the jazz violin.He discussed other jazz violin greats such as Smith, Stéphane Grapelli, and Ray Nance, of whom, Bang admitted, he was jealous of his incredibly beautiful sound and ability to double on the trumpet!Summoning up the energy for an impromptu performance on a violin brought by one of the guests, Bang closed with an unorthodox and delicate interpretation of a Duke Ellington song, bringing a hush of rapt attention and appreciation from all present.