Pianist Bill Anschell’s new album (his tenth over a 40 year career), Improbable Solutions, reaffirms that, one, the jazz scene in the U.S. is a coast-to-coast affair (with the music flourishing in great hands, East, West and in between), and two, that adventurous, restless, uber-creative artists, like Anschell, often make sudden turns and bestow upon their fans, old and new, a stylistic departure, a creative rare-bird, that has the potential to surprise and delight.Improbable Solutions is just that sort of work, an unexpected turn for a (usually) straight-ahead jazz pianist, albeit one who has traversed many trails during his life entrenched in jazz. In essence, the album is piano trio, aided and abetted by multiple layers of electronics, creating unique soundscapes. Anschell explains, “jazz trio plus electronic sound design is the best description that comes to mind. It’s different from other jazz projects that incorporate electronics in that I spent a lot of time adding multiple effects in post-production. Although not usually in the listener’s face, there are often ten or more effects in a given song, closely fitted to the trio’s notes.”
The album is also a return to the synth-driven progressive rock and electronic sounds that captivated Anschell in his youth. He explains, “I grew up listening to pop music – especially The Beatles – and first taught myself piano by figuring out how to play those songs by ear. Then in high school, when I heard synth-driven progressive rock for the first time, I suffered what felt like a musical epiphany. That led me to study analog electronic music at Oberlin, where I also played piano and Mini Moog in a rock band. Finally, at 19, I had my first actual piano lessons; the focus happened to be jazz, and I never looked back – until just a few years ago. Forty years into a jazz career, I returned to electronic sounds and began looking for new ways to combine them with acoustic jazz. And, that is what this project is really about; incorporating electronic sounds which never mimic acoustic instruments. Challenging myself to make them belong in the more traditional context of piano, bass and drums.”
That challenge and the process of creating Improbable Solutions were long and personal for Anschell, as he had no model for how to put it all together. The pianist/composer’s previous recording took three hours to record, and Improbable Solutions took three-and-a-half years. He began by composing over twenty electro-acoustic pieces. He then brought the music to life electronically, programming the bass, drums, and all the other sounds; from there he was able to pick the pieces he was to move ahead with. “Eventually, in a two-day live studio session, Chris Symer and Jose Martinez replaced all the bass and drum parts-for the better-and I replaced some of the keyboard parts with acoustic piano. Then the prolonged final stage: I mixed the project myself so I could adjust the electronic parts to the new acoustic tracks-replacing some electronic sounds, refining others. None of the electronic sounds came straight out of the box; I enjoyed getting into their innards and surgically tweaking them to fit the songs. It was all seemingly endless, until I forced myself to declare an ending. I'm lucky to have worked with great guest artists: Brian Monroney on guitar, Jeff Busch on percussion, and, on the final track, KJ Sawka on drums. Creating this music has been an extended journey, and very much DIY!”
Seattle native Bill Anschell returned to the Emerald City in 2002 after spending 25 years studying, composing, and performing across the country and around the world. Anschell left Seattle after high school, studying for two years at Oberlin College (Ohio), then transferring to Wesleyan University (Connecticut), where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Music. At Wesleyan, Anschell worked closely with saxophone great Bill Barron. He also studied semi-privately with South Indian mridangum master T Ranganathan, kindling a passion for rhythmic experimentation that has driven Anschell’s music ever since.
After leading the life of a jazz vagabond for several years, Anschell settled in Atlanta in 1989. He was initially drawn there by the opportunity to serve as Jazz Coordinator for the Southern Arts Federation (SAF). Firing up SAF’s jazz department virtually from scratch, Anschell launched a host of high-profile programs, published a book on grant-writing, and created JazzSouth, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 200 stations around the world. At night he dove headlong into the city’s thriving jazz scene, working as a sideman with various groups and leading his own trio.
By 1992, Anschell’s performing itinerary had grown to the point where it demanded his full attention. He left the SAF post, continuing to produce JazzSouth out of his home while focusing on playing and composing. Over the next ten years, Anschell ascended the jazz ranks in Atlanta, leading his trio at major festivals and becoming a first-call accompanist for visiting jazz greats. His trio’s highlights included the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the Montreux Atlanta Festival and four extensive tours of South America. During the same period, Anschell enjoyed a lengthy association with vocalist Nnenna Freelon, including several world tours. Anschell’s piano work and arrangements were featured throughout Freelon’s 1996 Concord release Shaking Free, which was nominated for a Grammy as the year’s best jazz vocal recording. Anschell has also performed and/or recorded with countless jazz greats including Ernestine Anderson, Ron Carter, Russell Malone, Matt Wilson, Tierney Sutton, Julian Priester, Kevin Mahogany, and Wes Anderson.”
Anschell’s own CDs have earned critical acclaim and widespread exposure, with several making Jazzweek’s national “Top 50” chart for radio airplay. Anschell’s 1998 release, a different note all together, was selected by United Press International (UPI) as one of the “10 Best” jazz releases of the year. His 2006 CD, More to the Ear than Meets the Eye, was chosen by numerous critics and radio stations across the country for their “10 Best of 2006” lists. His 2009 duo CD of spontaneous improvisations with saxophonist Brent Jensen was described by Cadence as “startlingly beautiful, surprising, and powerful…a transforming experience.” And his 2011 solo piano release, Figments, was called “magical” in Thomas Conrad’s JazzTimes review. His 2013 CD, Impulses, took him into new territory, featuring twelve tracks of original electronica. Most recently, his 2017 release, Rumbler, earned four stars in DownBeat, along with rave reviews in JazzTimes and on allaboutjazz.com.
In 2001, Anschell was selected by the American Composers Forum for its Composer-in-the-Schools program; his residency included a commissioned piece for chamber orchestra. Since 2003, his original compositions have received widespread cable and network exposure, with more than 70 placements including NBC’s The West Wing, NCIS: LA, HBO’s acclaimed series The Wire, HBO’s Bessie Smith biopic, Bessie, and Paramount’s Yellowstone.
In 2008, Anschell's Atlanta trio reunited for a fifth South American tour, visiting the Colombian cities of Medellin, Pereira and Manizales; in 2012 the trio made its fourth visit to Peru, and in 2014 its third trip to Paraguay.
As a Seattleite, Anschell had the honor of playing a weekly gig with Northwest jazz legend Floyd Standifer for the two years before Standifer’s passing. In 2013, he played several concerts with the Seattle Symphony.
In 2005, Anschell received a Golden Ear Award as the “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year,” and in 2006 his trio was named the “Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the year.” In 2010 and 2011 Anschell was again was named “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year,” in 2011 his CD Figments was named “Northwest Jazz Recording of the Year”; and in 2016 he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame. Most recently, Anschell’s trio once again was named “Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year” in 2022.
In addition to working in jazz music, Anschell creates and records electronic music pieces from his home studio. In 2019, he composed and recorded the score for “Forgotten Prison,” a podcast series produced by NPR affiliate KNKX.
Anschell is also well known as a jazz humorist, writing jazz vignettes and a monthly jazz etiquette column. His satirical essay, “Careers in Jazz,” is the all-time most-read piece on leading jazz website Allaboutjazz with more than 400,000 hits, was prominently featured in a Wall Street Journal story on jazz audiences, and has been posted in translation on websites around the world. In 2014 he was a winner of the inaugural Paul Desmond Award, Allaboutjazz’s celebration of the funniest jazz artists.
