Art Blakey the Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia Vol 1

American jazz musician

James Williams (March 8, 1951 – July xx, 2004) was an American jazz pianist.^[1]

James Williams westward/Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers at Keystone Korner San Francisco 1980

Early life [edit]

James Williams was born March 8, 1951, in Memphis, Tennessee. He began his formal piano studies at historic period 13, and was afterward an organist at Eastern Star Baptist Church building in Memphis, a position he held for six years. He earned a B.S. in Music Education at Memphis Country University, where he also formed solid friendships with young man Memphis pianists Mulgrew Miller and Donald Brown. A devotee of the tardily Memphis pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr., Williams took time to delve into his hometown's jazz heritage, associating with pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Jamil Nasser, and saxophonists George Coleman and Frank Strozier, among others.

Subsequently life and career [edit]

At 22, Williams moved to Boston to accept a didactics position at the Berklee College of Music. A year subsequently, he joined drummer Alan Dawson's group, which provided support in the Boston area for touring artists including Art Farmer, Milt Jackson, Sonny Stitt, Pat Martino, Jean Carn, Red Norvo, and Arnett Cobb. In 1977, Williams recorded his first anthology equally a leader, played his first concert featuring his original compositions, and first met Art Blakey. That encounter ultimately led to James's resigning from the Berklee faculty for a iv-twelvemonth, x-album tenure with the Jazz Messengers, every bit role of a lineup which included Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Neb Pierce and Charles Fambrough. After leaving the Messengers in 1981, James remained in Boston, re-joining Alan Dawson and besides playing independently with such artists equally Thad Jones, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Chet Baker and Benny Carter.

In 1984, Williams moved to New York, residing in Brooklyn and condign deeply involved in the city'south musical activities, omnipresent in jazz clubs not only as a performer but also equally a devoted listener. He played, toured and recorded with such artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, George Duvivier, Art Farmer, Kenny Burrell, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard and Tony Williams.

As a leader, Williams's recordings include traditional piano–bass–drums trios; larger ensembles with several horns; jazz trio with the Boys Choir of Harlem and guest Dianne Reeves; a 4-piano format with rhythm section; a sextet with a front line featuring iii saxophonists; a classic setting for Clark Terry; a solo piano recital in the Maybeck serial; and his last group, "Intensive Intendance Unit of measurement", a jazz-gospel ensemble featuring two vocalists, saxophone and rhythm section.

After self-producing his own album Alter Ego for Sunnyside Records in 1984, he produced albums for several other musicians, including Phineas Newborn, Jr., Harold Mabern, Donald Chocolate-brown, Billy Pierce, Bill Easley, Tony Reedus and Geoff Keezer. In 1993, Williams focused his product activities under the umbrella of his visitor, Finas Sound Productions, Inc. The name is a phonetic tribute to Phineas Newborn, Jr., who pronounced his name "Fine'-u.s.". Finas Sound produced numerous concerts and recordings, including its highly acclaimed "Musical Tributes" and "The Cardinal Players" series, both held at Merkin Concert Hall in Manhattan.

Williams was a prolific composer. His pieces similar "Arioso", "Blackness Scholars" and "Alter Ego" embody memorable melodies and snappy rhythmic construction. Second Floor Music publishes a folio of solo piano arrangements by Williams for thirteen of his original compositions. Several of his tunes appear on other artists' albums, including those of Art Farmer, Kenny Barron, Victor Lewis, Gary Burton and Roy Hargrove.

Williams was a longtime educator. As early every bit 1975, in add-on to his responsibilities at Berklee, he was a faculty member of the National Combo Camp. He also held a education position at the Hartt Schoolhouse of Music during the 1984–85 bookish year, was a regular contributor to the International Association of Jazz Educators, and was artist-in-residence and presented clinics, demonstration-lectures and workshops at numerous institutions. He was a lease member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra under the direction of David Bakery and Gunther Schuller.

In 1999, he became Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University, succeeding Rufus Reid and Thad Jones in that position. He taught a total-time load of ensembles and lessons, hosted dozens of pre-concert interviews and performed on the campus'south Jazz Room Series as well every bit with members of the classical kinesthesia until his unexpected death of liver cancer in New York City in 2004. The James Williams Archive is now part of the Living Jazz Archives on the William Paterson campus, containing his LP collection, original manuscripts, hundreds of performance tapes, photos and awards.

Blues ring Lady Dottie and the Diamonds dedicated their debut album Livin' It Up (2007) to the memory of James Williams.

Discography [edit]

Equally leader/co-leader [edit]

• 1979: Everything I Love, The James Williams Quartet (Concord Jazz)
• 1982: The Arioso Touch, The James Williams Trio (Concord Jazz)
• 1984: Modify Ego (Sunnyside)
• 1985: Progress Report (Sunnyside)
• 1987: The Magical Trio one with Ray Dark-brown, Fine art Blakey (Emarcy)
• 1987: The Magical Trio 2 with Ray Dark-brown, Elvin Jones (Emarcy)
• 1989: See the Magical Trio (Emarcy)
• 1990: 4 Play (DIW) with Clifford Jordan, Richard Davis and Ronnie Burrage
• 1991: Upwardly to the Minute Dejection with Joe Henderson (DIW)
• 1991: James Williams Meets the Saxophone Masters with Joe Henderson, George Coleman, Beak Pierce (DIW)
• 1994: Truth Justice & Blues, Intensive Care Unit (Show)
• 1995: James Williams at Maybeck Vol. 42 (Concord)
• 1997: Crawly! with Ray Brownish Elvin Jones (DIW)
• 1998: We've Got What Yous Need, Intensive Care Unit (Prove)
• 2003: Jazz Dialogues: Vol. ane Willpower, Vol. ii Focus, Vol. 3 Out of Nowhere, Vol. four Music for a While

As sideman [edit]

With Karrin Allyson

• Ballads – Remembering John Coltrane (Concord Jazz, 2001)

With Fine art Blakey

• In My Prime number Vol. i (Timeless, 1977)
• In My Prime Vol. 2 (Timeless, 1977)
• In This Korner (Concur Jazz, 1978)
• Reflections in Blue (Timeless, 1978)
• Night in Tunisia: Digital Recording (Philips, 1979)
• One by One (Palcoscenico, 1979)
• Live at Montreux and Northsea (Timeless, 1980)
• Art Blakey in Sweden (Amigo, 1981)
• Album of the Year (Timeless, 1981)
• Directly Alee (Concord, 1981)

With Kenny Burrell

• Then Along Came Kenny (Evidence, 1993 [1996])
• Midnight at the Village Vanguard (Evidence, 1993, 1997)
• Dearest is the Answer (Concur, 1998)

With Fine art Farmer

• Something to Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn (Contemporary, 1987)
• Blame It on My Youth (Contemporary, 1988)
• PhD (Contemporary, 1989)

With Curtis Fuller

• Four on the Exterior (Timeless, 1978)

With Tom Harrell

• Sail Away (Gimmicky, 1993)
• Visions (Gimmicky, 1991)

With Emily Remler

• Take 2 (Concur, 1982)

With Jack Walrath

• Master of Suspense (Blue Note, 1987)
• Neohippus (Blue Note, 1988)

With Sadao Watanabe

• Parker'due south Mood(Live At Bravas Club '85) (Electra, 1985)
• Tokyo Dating (Electra, 1985)

References [edit]

1. ^ AllMusic

stearnsshater2002.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Williams_(musician)

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