William Bryant

William Bryant can write the songs, and play all the instruments in the band, but has chosen a career as a sideman with the goal of making other artists sound good. It can be suggested that a keyboard player would have to be pretty darn funky to be hired to play on an album by another funky piano player, Billy Preston. But more sophisticated listeners would be more impressed by Bryant's stint beginning in the early '80s as a member of Marvin Gaye's inner circle of touring and recording accompanists, one of the finest live soul music bands in the genre's history. Bryant also plays drums and percussion, with the development of synthesizers, electronic keyboards and computer programmed musical instruments all interlinking forces in his versatility.
Bryant has toiled as a producer for artists such as E-Gee, and has co-written material with Howard Jones, among others. His main career involvement has been as a session musician, however, with a bevy of artists mostly coming from realms of soul and pop. The wideness of his range is perhaps not that obvious in a discography that includes not only Shalamar but Sherrick as well. ~ Eugene Chadbourne