Bill Ramsay

William George "Rams" Ramsay (born January 12, 1929) is an American jazz saxophonist and band leader based in Seattle. In 1997, he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame, the top of eight Golden Ear Award categories presented annually since 1990 by the Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle. Ramsay performs on all the primary saxophones – soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – as well as clarinet (his boyhood instrument), and bass clarinet.

For the German-American jazz and pop singer, see Bill Ramsey (singer). For other people named Bill Ramsay, see Bill Ramsay (disambiguation).
Bill Ramsay
Birth nameWilliam George Ramsay
Also known as"Rams"
Born (1929-01-12) January 12, 1929
Centralia, Washington, U.S.
Genresbig band jazz
Occupation(s)sideman, band leader, arranger
Instrument(s)saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone)

Performance affiliations

Current

  • Ramsay has been a member of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra since its founding in 1995.[1]
  • He was the co-leader, with Milton Edwin Kleeb (1919–2015),[2] of a ten-piece jazz band based in Seattle – the Ramsay-Kleeb Big Band. The band plays the music of Miles Davis, Gil Evans, and Gerry Mulligan

Past

Selected discography

As leader

  • Ramsay-Kleeb Band, "Red" Kelly's Heros, C.A.R.S. Productions (Los Angeles) (Ramsay arranges, plays alto & clarinet, co-directs) (1997) OCLC 41366927
Note: In the 1980s, Ramsay played tener sax with Thomas "Red" Kelly's quintet (jazz bass; 1927–2004),[3] Carl Fontana (trombone), David H. Stetler (drums; 1923–2002),[4] and Donald Wing Chan (piano; born 1941)[5]

As arranger

Trombone orchestration by Ramsay

As sideman

also on Ken Music (Japan) & Ken/Passport (Germany)

Unpublished

  • Bill Ramsay & the Hipshaker Big Band, Thaddeus, unpublished live recording at Tula's (2004)[6]

Filmography
  • A Tribute to Count Basie, filmed at Kan-i Hoken Hall, Tokyo, November 11, 1989 (film for television)
Personnel: Harry "Sweets" Edison, Joe Newman, Snooky Young, Al Aarons, Ray Brown, trumpet; Al Grey, Benny Powell, Grover Mitchell, Michael Grey, trombone; Marshal Royal, Curtis Peagler, alto sax; Frank Wess, tenor sax, flute; Billy Mitchell, tenor sax; Bill Ramsay, baritone sax; Ronnell Bright, piano; Ted Dunbar, guitar; Eddie Jones, acoustic double bass; Gregg Fields, drums.
  • Fujitsu Concord Jazz Festival, filmed at Kan-i Hoken Hall, Japan, November 11, 1990 (film for television)
Personnel: Ray Brown, Pete Minger, Joe Newman, Snooky Young, trumpet; Arthur Baron, Grover Mitchell, Dennis Wilson, Douglas Purviance, trombone; Bill Ramsay, Curtis Peagler, alto sax; Frank Wess, tenor sax, flute; Billy Mitchell, tenor sax; Babe Clarke, baritone sax; Tee Curson, piano; Ted Dunbar, guitar; Eddie Jones, acoustic double bass; Dennis Mackrel, drums, Mel Torme, vocal, drums.[7]

Service in the U.S. Armed Forces

From September 28, 1948, to June 25, 1952, Ramsay served in the U.S. Army. He ended his tour with an honorable discharge.[8]

Family

Parents

William George Ramsay was born in Washington to William Mathew Ramsay (1902–1969) and Edna Mae (née Forsythe; surname at death – Skramstad; 1902–1999). William and Edna were married October 22, 1921, in Lewis County, Washington. Edna remarried Thorvald N. Skramstad (1903–1989) in Centralia, Washington on March 26, 1972.

Sister

Bill Ramsay had one sister, Gloria Phyllis Ramsay (1923–2003), who, in 1946, married Tim Clarence Oconnell (1918–2008).

Spouse

Bill married Lillian (née Halstead; born 1931).

Daughter

Bill and Lillian have a daughter, Jane Susan Ramsay (born 1952) and, grandson, Maxfield Ramsay Marcus, (born 1993).

References
  1. Harvey Siders, The Call Him "Rams," pg. 6, Earshot Jazz (Seattle), March 2007 Archived July 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Milton Kleeb". Legacy. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  3. "Red Kelly Collection, Tacoma Public Library". Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  4. Aydrea Walden, David Stetler, 79, Deft Drummer Proud to Call Seattle Home, February 10, 2002
  5. Carol Beers, Si! Si! Segovia on Stage Tonight, Seattle Times, pg. D2, col. 1, February 19, 1981
  6. Playlists: Jazz After Hours www.jazzafterhours.org
  7. David Meeker, Jazz on the Screen: A Jazz & Blues Filmography 5th Ed., pg. 433, Library of Congress, 2005 Archived April 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  8. Veterans' Affairs, Department of, Korean War Era Veterans' Bonus Claims, 1955–1960

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