Bill Anschell Trio

Bill Anschell – Piano; Jeff Johnson – Bass; D’Vonne Lewis – Drums

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.

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, appearing on programs including NBC’s The West Wing, NCIS: LA, HBO’s acclaimed series The Wire, and HBO’s Bessie Smith biopic, Bessie.

As a Seattleite, Anschell had the honor of playing a weekly gig with Northwest jazz legend Floyd Standifer for the two years before his passing. In 2005, Anschell received a Golden Ear Award as the “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year,” and in 2006 his trio was named the “Best Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble.” In 2010 and 2011 Anschell was again was named “Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year,” and in 2011 his CD Figments was named “Northwest Jazz Recording of the Year.” In 2013, he played several concerts with the Seattle Symphony. His 2013 CD, Impulses, took him into new territory, featuring twelve tracks of original electronica.

2016 Inductee, Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame