“Will's prodigious talent was unmistakeable” - irwin Hall, grammy nominated saxophonist
Will Gorman does it all. He is a pianist, organist, singer, composer, and arranger. Starting classical lessons at a young age, he was dragged to jazz band in high school and never turned back. He’s performed extensively with jazz notables such as Vincent Herring, Claudio Roditi, Winard Harper, Sheila Jordan, Jumaane Smith, and the Royal Bopsters among others. An up-and-coming arranger, he contributed two arrangements for big band on veteran organist Radam Schwartz’s “Message from Groove and GW” released on Arabesque. Most recently, he has been playing with Grammy-nominated saxophonist Irwin Hall and his organ trio.
At age 19, he joined the band of Grammy award-winning blues master Joe Louis Walker, balancing time between touring and school. He’s played extensively with rising blues stars “King” Solomon Hicks and Vanessa Collier, including work on Collier’s last three albums, including a live DVD recorded at PowerStation in NYC. Will has performed at clubs and festivals all over the U.S., Europe, South America and Asia, including Jazz in Marciac, Blue Note Beijing, Jazz Madrid, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Smoke Jazz and Supper Club, The Black Cat and many more.
His own performances blend the jazz, blues, and gospel music of a time gone by, with a modern outlook to take the best of America's musical contributions, and create a unique and soulful experience for the listener.
He attended William Paterson University, working with Bill Charlap and Harold Mabern, among others, and completed his B.M. in Jazz Piano in 2019 and M.M. in Composition and Arranging in 2020, and is currently working on an M.M. in Jazz Voice, studying with Aubrey Johnson.
Growing up in Syracuse, he had the opportunity to serve as musical director at Southern Baptist Church, playing the organ and directing the choir, as well as tour extensively with the gospel group, Charles Cannon and the Bells of Harmony.
