Album Notes

Will’s self-titled recording includes a number of highly original compositions, free improvisations, and Jazz standards.

Here's what renowned bassist Marcus Penrose has to say about the album:
'To my ears, this album really swings! Some of the tracks are played with a modern straight ahead jazz feel such as Monks ‘Bemsha Swing’ with its highly displaced walking bass line and ‘Bad Dream Blues’. The balance between groove and ‘rhythmic and melodic freedom’ on these tracks is a modern way of playing and well represents Wills musical identity. In ‘Harbourne Ford’, ‘Away With The Fairies’ and ‘Somedays’ the swing maybe more disguised but to my ears is still there, even if he is playing ‘even’ 8’s. This demonstrates why ‘feel’ and ‘swing’ can’t be defined technically as the time on these tracks is often changing. As this is an album of mainly improvised music, you can clearly hear Wills varying influences including the blues, contemporary classical music, jazz greats such as Monk and Charlie Parker as well as contemporary American jazz musicians, including sax player Bill McHenry who is the ‘Bill’ in ‘Bill’s Will’. Although influenced by obvious musical tradition, this is certainly no pastiche album. An original piece of art from a highly expressive musician.'

Butterworth was born in 1977 in Edinburgh, and now lives in North London. Whilst studying for a degree in Genetics, Will started gigging in the Scottish capital and was drawn to a career in music. Largely self taught as a pianist - he had an early musical education playing Cello. Will has worked with many of Britain’s leading Jazz artists and can be found most nights playing at London venues with his trio.