Lawrence Killian

US jazz percussionist (September 5th, 1942 Jersey City, NJ - January 26th, 2021 Louisburg, NC)
Killian started playing the trap drums with saxophonist Lloyd Wheeler and Jimmy Anderson. He was percussionist of the original Roy Haynes Hip Ensemble with saxist George Adams, trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson, pianist Joe Bonner and bassist Cecil McBee. Then he went to play with Pharoah Sanders on the seminal albums Thembi (on one track never properly credited in discographies) and Black Unity, one of Killian’s greatest jazz associations. In the ‘70s he ed to Lonnie Liston Smith’s Cosmic Echoes. At this time, he also played with two of the most famous men in jazz: Stan Getz and Miles Davis. After playing with Rahsaan Roland Kirk and pianists Hilton Ruiz and Ahmad Jamal, Killian crossed genres and ed the rock-disco band The Village People which led to a five year stint, some good money and hits like the song: 'YMCA'. Killian played extensively with Pucho in the 90s.

Recommended Listening:
• Larry Coryell - Barefoot Boy
(Flying Dutchman-One Way, 1971)
• Pharoah Sanders - Live at the East (Impulse, 1971)
• Roy Haynes - Senyah (Mainstream, 1972)
• Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes -
Cosmic Funk (Flying Dutchman, 1974)
• Cecil McBee - Mutima (Strata East, 1974)
• Big John Patton/John Zorn -
Blue Planet Man (Evidence, 1993)