Bill McKemy
- Contact
- Garvey Fine Arts CenterRoom 3151700 SW College AveTopeka, KS 66621-1117785.670.3874
- Degrees & Certifications
- Truman State University, Bachelor of Music
- University of Central Missouri, Master of Arts
- Academic History
Degrees
B.M. Tuba Performance, Truman State University
M.A. Music History Concentration, University of Central Missouri
Master’s Thesis
N. Clark Smith and Milestones of a Race, excerpt published in Jazz Ambassador Magazine.
- Teaching
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- MU 103 A, Jazz History
- MU 254 I, Small Ensembles-Lower Division
- MU 269 A, String Bass
- MU 276 B, Applied Jazz Lessons
- MU 454 I, Small Ensembles-Upper Division
- MU 469 A, String Bass
- MU 476 B, Applied Jazz Lessons
- Scholarly Interests/Activities
Discography (as leader/composer)
Duende, 2003
Om Nidrah, 2004 (featuring Tom Morgan)
Perfumed Nightmare (Improvisor’s Collective) - Underpass, 2008
Meditations (with People’s Liberation Big Band), 2010
Selected Discography (as sideman)
B.J. Allen, Heart of Stone, 1992
Malachy Papers, Demons, 2000 (featuring Matt Chamberlain, Brad Houser, Mike Dillon)
Brian Baggett, Trio 2012, 2012
Mark Southerland, Snuff Family Farm, 2017 (featuring Brian Haas)
- Service Interests/Activities
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Performances
John Abercrombie, Randy Brecker, Sam Newsome, Ray Anderson, Pablo Batista, Foto Rodrigues y Su Orchesta Unica, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Luqman Hamza, Ahmed Aladeen, Jo Ann Daugherty, Khan Jamal, Karrin Allyson
- Career Accomplishments
American Jazz Museum - Director of Jazz Studies. While at the AJM founded the Kansas City Jazz Academy, a free Saturday program that offered weekly Orff general general music classes for pre-school and elementary ages and instruction in jazz style and improvisation for junior high and high school age students in small group settings. Launched the Jazz Speaker Series that featured leading voices in jazz scholarship including Ted Gioia, Scott DeVeaux, Tammy Kernodle, Ron McCurdy, Karen Chilton. Authored workshop Jay’s Riffs - A Riff Blues Workshop (curated and presented with the blessing of the Jay McShann family). Music booking/production of The Jay McShann Centennial Concert featuring Benny Green and Bobby Watson.
University of Missouri Kansas City - Jazz Friends Board of Directors, 18th & Vine Liaison.
Metropolitan Jazz Workshop - Combo and Rhythm Section Clinician
Ottawa University - Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Double Bass, Electric Bass, Tuba, Jazz Combo. Taught Jazz in America simultaneously as 100/300 level course.
