Jazz Articles about Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou's Salon

by Bill Gottlieb
March 15, 2024

This article was first published at All About Jazz in June 1999.“The all-time greatest woman jazz musician." That typically was the kind of language used in describing Mary Lou Williams.Mary Lou Williams Mary Lou was a fabulous pianist, as well as a noted arranger, and composer. But she also had another role of distinction: she was a sort of mother spirit for innovative musicians. Her spacious Harlem apartment was a salon where, especially in the 1940's, ...

A Celebration of Music By Mary Lou Williams - A Formidable Jazz Mother On Many Fronts

by Mary Foster Conklin
May 22, 2023

This broadcast celebrates Mothers Day featuring music by Mary Lou Williams in the first hour (a formidable Jazz Mother on so many fronts). In the second hour, more music by jazz mothers Geri Allen, Allison Miller, Chris McNulty and more, with new releases from the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band plus singles from Ann Hampton Callaway & Amanda McBroom and vocal group Säje featuring Michael Mayo. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live ...

Mary Lou Williams: Into the Zone of Music

by Jakob Baekgaard
January 23, 2023

Few musicians have embraced the entire history of jazz like Mary Lou Williams, and at the same time shaped its development compositionally and instrumentally. She brought jazz into contact with classical music and played spiritual jazz before it became hip, but she was also a treasured teacher and mentor. Mary Lou Williams was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 8, 1910, as Mary Elfrieda Scruggs. She grew up with an absent mother who drank, and the father was ...

Happy Birthday to Mary Lou Williams - A Formidable Jazz Mother

by Mary Foster Conklin
May 16, 2022

This broadcast celebrates Mothers Day featuring music by several notable jazz mothers and their children, plus new releases from pianists Yelena Eckemoff, Ariane Racicot, Alberto Pibiri and Jeremy Siskind, vocalists CeCe Gable and Tierney Sutton, with birthday shoutouts to Mary Lou Williams (a formidable Jazz Mother on so many fronts). Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by purchasing their music during this time of pandemic so they can continue to distract, provoke, comfort and inspire.

Tribute Mary Lou Williams, PIano Trio Smorgasbord, Guitar Mental Block

by David Brown
February 1, 2022

This week, a birthday wish for a forgotten Philly singer, a super set of piano trios featuring a new tribute to Mary Lou Williams. I work out my issues with jazz guitar with some ear opening duets, and more. Old, new, in, out... wherever the music takes us. Each week, we will explore the elements of jazz and creative music from a historical perspective. Hosted by David Brown. Playlist Terry Morel “I Can't Get Started" from Her Complete ...

Chenin Blanc Meets Mary Lou Williams

by Kristen Lee Sergeant
July 31, 2021

Evolution: Chenin Blanc Meets Mary Lou Williams

by Kristen Lee Sergeant
July 19, 2021

Welcome to July's Jazz & Juice--I thoroughly enjoyed our trip on the wilder side of winemaking and improvisation last month (here's a link to the article, video, and podcast if you missed it.) Now, we'll delve into two examples of great women in jazz and wine who will lead us on an inspiring and trailblazing journey with tuneful and tasteful results. EvolutionThe word evolution seems to imply that there is an ultimate destination, some perfect state of arrival ...