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Bill Anschell

Pianist/composer Bill Anschell has performed in premiere jazz festivals and clubs throughout the U.S. and abroad, both leading his trio and as pianist/musical director for vocalist Nnenna Freelon. His concert credits include six European tours and five South American tours, with performances in many of the leading international jazz festivals.

Anschell was the creator, producer and theme music composer for "JazzSouth," a syndicated radio program broadcast from 1990 - 2002 on more than 200 stations around the world. In 1998 his CD, a different note all together, was selected by UPI (United Press International) as one of the year's "10 Best" jazz releases. That CD and his two follow-up releases "When Cooler Heads Prevail" (2001) and "More to the Ear than Meets the Eye" (2006) enjoyed critical acclaim and extensive stays on the national jazz radio charts; Anschell's original compositions were prominently featured in all three recordings.

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. The same year, his piano work was featured in the soundtrack of the PBS movie, "Old Settler." In the last several years, his compositions have appeared on network and cable programs including NBC's "The West Wing," HBO's acclaimed series, "The Wire," and the FX show, "Damages."

Most recently, Anschell received a Golden Ear Award as the "Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year" in 2005, and his trio was named "Northwest Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year" in 2006. Anschell, a Seattle native, returned to the Emerald City in 2002 after a long residency in Atlanta, Georgia.