A drummer who is 75% deaf. A criminally dysfunctional piano. A singer whose biggest fan is himself. A pianist named Pissface.
These are just a few of the characters in the very funny new book Benched: Jazz Stories, by pianist, composer, and Seattle Jazz Hall of Famer Bill Anschell.
For three decades, Anschell has fine-tuned his musical art, as evidenced by more than a dozen albums, a collection of concert videos, and a resume so packed with accomplishments that you’ll have to check it out for yourself on his website.
Through it all, he’s had a sardonic sense of humor about jazz and jazz musicians, and has written about it for years in his popular column, Mr. P.C.’s Guide to Jazz Etiquette and Bandstand Decorum, and in stories he initially only circulated to his inner circle. In late 2025, he finally did what friends and colleagues had urged him to do: collect his best stories and website columns into a book. It was published in late 2025.
You can lose yourself in Anschell’s massive collection of music and video by visiting his website, billanschell.com. Or, if you need instant gratification, watch the video below for my fun interview with Bill, a good sampling of his music, and some pregnant excerpts from his hilarious book.