Javon Jackson & Billy Pierce Quintet - Burnin'(1991)

1.So The Story Goes (Javon Jackson)

2.Mr. Glenn-Roy (Billy Pierce)

3.Dolo (Dexter Gordon)

4.Cocktails For Two (A. Johnston)

5.Homestretch (Joe Henderson)

6.Ugly Beauty (Thelonious Monk)

7.Not Yet (Javon Jackson).

Javon Jackson (Ts)

Billy Pierce (Ts)

Kirk Lightsey (P)

Christian McBride (B)

Louis Hayes (D).

Recorded December 20, 1991 in New York City, NY, USA.

Billy Pierce - Epistrophy (1992)

1.I'm an Old Cowhand(From the Rio Grande)7:55
2.Bye-Ya ,Monk 5:47
3.Ugly Beauty ,Monk 7:09
4.In Walked Toot ,Brown 5:00
5.Strode Rode ,Rollins 4:24
6.Epistrophy ,Clarke, Monk 8:06
7.Mr. Glenn-Roy ,Pierce 6:10
8.Criss-Cross Monk 5:25
9.Pent-Up House ,Rollins 6:41.

Billy Pierce (tenor saxophone)

Donald Brown (piano)

Christian McBride (bass)

Billy Drummond (drums).

Recorded at Sound On Sound, New York, New York on December 22, 1992.

On this excellent album, tenor saxophonist Billy Pierce leads an all-star quartet through a challenging set dominated by the compositions of Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins. Opening with "I'm an Old Cowhand" (a Johnny Mercer standard long associated with Rollins) and then diving into two Monk pieces, Pierce is in full control from the beginning, no mean feat with pieces this complex. You could argue that his gracefully Latinized take on Monk's "Bye-Ya" unduly tames the lurching charm of the melody, but his solo is so solid and assured that you end up agreeing with him by the end. Pianist Donald Brown contributes "In Walked Toot," a tribute piece based on "In Walked Bud" and dedicated to Monk's son, while bassist Christian McBride and drummer Billy Drummond have the most fun on "I'm an Old Cowhand." The quartet sounds bit tentative on "Criss Cross," an angular and forbidding Monk tune that is rarely recorded, but they explode spectacularly at the end of the disc with "Pent-Up House," a Sonny Rollins composition that they play with infectious joy. Highly recommended.(by Rick Anderson.)

Billy Pierce - Equilateral (1988)

01.Come Rain or Come Shine,Arlen, Mercer 5:30

02.Star Eyes,DePaul,Raye 6:00

03.The Eternal Triangle,Stitt 4:14

04.Alone Together,Dietz,Schwartz 7:10

05.You'd Be So Easy to Love ,Porter 4:58

06.Recuerdame,Henderson 4:05

07.You Don't Know What Love Is DePaul, Raye 6:52

08.Woody 'N You,Gillespie 4:29

09.What's New? Burke, Haggart 6:37

10.Softly,As in a Morning Sunrise,Hammerstein,Romberg 4:48

11.Home Stretch,Stitt 4:51.

Billy Pierce (tenor & soprano saxophones)

Hank Jones (piano)

Roy Haynes (drums).

Recorded at Skyline Studios, New York on January 2, 1988.