Along the way he built an entire community around him, and here he will be honored with a 50-violin salute, led onstage by the violinist Billy Bang.

Billy Bang, 63, American jazz violinist, lung cancer.

Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 - April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer.

It was around this time that he acquired the nickname of "Billy Bang", derived from a popular cartoon character.

Paul Star-Tribune called him "the finest, fieriest jazz violinist since Billy Bang."

This group includes two other noteworthy colleagues from that time and place: the violinist Billy Bang and the bassist Alex Blake.

Billy Bang can unleash searing runs and riffs on his violin, but it's as a composer that he excels, writing ebullient, wry tunes.

The Group's trumpeter, Ahmed Abdullah, and its violinist, Billy Bang, first made their mark in the 70's.

Also, Billy Bang has a much rougher sound and a freer style than Stuff Smith, but the end results are well worth hearing".

Billy Bang: Outline No 12 (1982)