Welcome to Philadelphia Jazz Project
Mysterious Traveler - William "Brother Wali" Bickley
Feb 16, 2016
Mysterious Travelers 2: Great Migrations - a collaboration between The Free Library of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Jazz Project. Back by overwhelming popular demand! FREE concerts every fourth Monday night from October 2015 through May 2016, audiences will hear from veteran, as well as up-and-coming musicians who are shaping the future sounds of Philadelphia with a sharp ear to the legacies of our past. This season will directly honor and celebrate the past century’s brave journey of African Americans to Philadelphia from the South to which we owe our rich urban musical heritage.
Multidisciplinary artist, William "Brother Wali" Bickley, was born in Philadelphia. Bickley’s love for the arts, Jazz and all genres of music, allows him to bring together music and stage in a most unique way. Bickley facilitates ‘The Arts Group’ started for the purpose of exploring the therapeutic effect of the arts and the coupling of music and the stage, enhancing both dialogue and music. Bickley’s band ‘Inner Journey’ formed in Atlanta in 2004 and again in Spain, where he lived from 2008 to 2013. Today, ‘Inner Journey’ consists of four talented musicians, bassist Bert Harris, pianist John Guest, drummer Franklin Neblett and Adam Hershberger on trumpet.
Not your typical Jazz musician, William "Brother Wali" Bickley, will be our next guest artist in the Mysterious Traveler Concert Series.
Mysterious Traveler 2 Concert Series - Great Migrations
February 22, 2016 - 7PM | William "Brother Wali" Bickley
Parkway Central Library | Montgomery Auditorium

1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
All events in this series are FREE.
PJP spoke with this multi-faceted, Philadelphia artist about his music and his approach.
PJP: Can you briefly describe your musical direction?
William Bickley: My musical direction is to continue to explore and cultivate the music that comes to me from within. I do not know how to sit and compose a piece of music. I rely on the music coming through me. I try to feel the theme and allow the music to correspond from within. It is my wish to further explore and cultivate this concept.
PJP: What and whom are pivotal musical influences on your creative approach?
William Bickley: One of the most significant pivotal musical influences on my creative approach is the experience of melodies coming to me from seemingly nowhere. Or when I have a theme or concept, the music or lyrics seem to flow from within. As far as musical influences, there have been many, but John Coltrane, has had by far, the most effect on me musically.
PJP: How do you manage the task of creating and encouraging fresh, new, forward moving musical ideas, while simultaneously exploring, celebrating and documenting the past?
William Bickley: I really, really try not to manage this. I try to allow it to happen. ‘Inner Journey’ is the name I chose for the band because I strongly feel that it is all inside and that inside is the source of everything fresh and new.
PJP: When listening to your music, what advice would you give to audiences to assist with greater understanding and enjoyment?
William Bickley: My advice to audiences would be to listen from within.
PJP: Why Jazz? When you could be doing anything else, why Jazz?
William Bickley: I have always loved Jazz. I can remember as a young boy around twelve or thirteen listening to Trane thinking ‘Wow! This sure sounds good!’ During that period there we're other influences as well, like Motown. But, I would always relate back to Jazz. To me, back then it was just so deep. Even if I did anything else, I would still do Jazz!
Mysterious Traveler 2 Concert Series - Great Migrations
February 22, 2016 - 7PM | William "Brother Wali" Bickley
Parkway Central Library | Montgomery Auditorium

1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189
All events in this series are FREE.
