Billy leads a variety of ensembles and is a member of a number of projects led by rising stars of the London jazz scene. He has toured the UK with Tom Barford Group and saxophonist Tom Ridout and has performed at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, the Vortex, Jazz Nursery, the 606, Total Refreshment Centre and UK jazz festivals. He plays in Patchwork Jazz Orchestra, a big band which has premiered new music by Billy in the 2018 and 2019 London Jazz Festivals and at Giardini La Mortella, Italy. Appearing on several albums, Billy was singled out as ‘one to watch’ in the Jazzwise review of Tom Barford's album 'Bloomer’, released on Edition records in 2018. His debut album 'Dancing on Bentwood Chairs' is due for release in 2023.  

 

Billy frequently writes music for his own projects and various large ensembles including the London Jazz Orchestra. He won the 2019 Eddie Harvey Jazz Arranger of the Year Award as well as both the small ensemble and big band category of the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition in 2016 and 2018 respectively. His composition 'Genmaicha'  was released by Patchwork Jazz Orchestra on their record 'The Light That Shines' and he has been commissioned to write compositions/arrangements for the National Youth Jazz Collective, singer-songwriter Hohnen-Ford and Berlin based Fabia Mantwill Orchestra. He wrote a suite for his octet inspired by gamelan for the 2016 Lancaster Youth Jazz Commission and his music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3. In 2018, Billy studied with Vince Mendoza at the Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop in Holland; his arrangement of Man in the Mirror was performed at the Lantaren Venster Rotterdam by the Metropole Orkest and Becca Stevens. 

 

An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music in London, Billy graduated with a first-class degree in jazz guitar performance in 2017. During this time he studied improvisation and composition with many UK and international jazz luminaries including Mike Walker, Pete Churchill and Barak Schmool. Billy is also involved in a range of music education work including for Guildhall Young Artists and the National Youth Jazz Collective.

 

Billy is grateful for the support of Help Musicians UK, the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Foundation Grant and the Richard Turner Fund.