Bill Overton

Description

Bill Overton was born in Memphis in 1954. He holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education and performed and taught in New York City for twenty years with Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, the St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, Bob Wilber and many others. Now based in Chicago, he performs with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, at Ravinia with Seth MacFarlane, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, his own quartet, and many others.  He has released three recordings as a leader, “The Sun Will Shine” (2015), “Always In My Heart” (2016), and “Only Love Can Do That” (2018).  His latest recording features the music of Jimmy Webb and is presently in the development stage.

Bill is the leader of The Kettle Brothers as well as his own quartet.

The Kettle Brothers are on a mission to spread joy, laughter, and fellowship with hot jazz, swing and standards, conjuring warm memories and infectious fun along the way.   Comprised of five veteran jazz professionals, the band features the three-horn “front line” in the New Orleans style of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Jellyroll Morton not often heard today, but unique in its style of improvised counterpoint that is such a gas to hear.  Four members are vocalists, as well.

The Bill Overton Quartet has performed tributes to John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, with Bill on vocals and sax, as well as numerous other performances and tributes to classic jazz artists.

Work Sample

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA5shEjwQ8Up2PJjwj_GqMw/videos

The Kettle Brothers

The Kettle Brothers are on a mission to spread joy, laughter, and fellowship with hot jazz, swing and standards, conjuring warm memories and infectious fun along the way.   Comprised of five veteran jazz professionals, the band features the three-horn “front line” in the New Orleans style of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Jellyroll Morton not often heard today, but unique in its style of improvised counterpoint that is such a gas to hear.  The band, with most members playing more than one instrument (as well as four who are vocalists), is also quite versatile with a repertoire that encompasses jazz and novelty tunes from the twenties, extending through the swing era of the thirties, forties and fifties.

We can do performances anywhere form one to four hours in length. 

These videos document several performances, including a tribute to the music of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman.

The performances in the videos depict the result of over fifty years of study, practice, passion, discipline, and the desire to uplift people with the beauty and power of music.  I still feel as though I have only begun to achieve this goal and I will continue to pursue it through daily practice, hustling gigs, recording and study.  

History

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana,  Bill moved to New York City in 1981 where he performed with such artists as Mel Lewis, Doc Cheatham, Mickey Roker, Major Holley, Vic Dickinson, Rosemary Clooney, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, Howard Alden, Bo Diddley, the Temptations, the Spinners, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and many others while teaching at the Brooklyn Conservatory, William Patterson College, and the Aebersold Jazz Clinics, as well as in the public schools. He has recorded extensively and conducted clinics, master classes and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad. Bill and his family moved to Libertyville, Illinois, in 1998, where he taught band, guitar and music technology at Oak Grove School in Green Oaks, IL, while performing with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra with guest artists such as Roy Hargrove, Ahmad Jamal, McCoy Tyner, Ann Hampton-Callaway, Kurt Elling, Slide Hampton, Jon Faddis, etc., the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic, his own quartet at Andy’s, The Green Mill and 210, at Ravinia with Seth MacFarlane, Bernadette Peters, Michael Feinstein, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, and many others. He has taught at Midwest Young Artists, the Merit School and many others.  His debut recording as a leader, “The Sun Will Shine”, was released in 2015, “Always In My Heart” came next in 2017, and his latest, “Only Love Can Do That”, was released in June, 2018.

Artistic Vision

My vision has always been to bring joy, inspiration and comfort to ALL people through music.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

Our music, especially the Kettle Brothers', appeals to virtually everyone.  There is just something about the happy and timeless tunes, joyful improvisational interplay of the horns, and the dance-inducing rhythms that puts a smile on everyone's faces, but it has an especially magical effect on young children, older adults and special needs folks.