Jazz Articles about Anthony Williams

Christopher Merz's Very Happy Band: While We Wait

by Jack Bowers
March 4, 2021

Saxophonist Christopher Merz's Very Happy Band is essentially a foursome of like-minded fun-lovers with trombonist Anthony Williams added on two numbers and trumpeter Dave Rezek on one. For the most part, this is happy jazz, eleven original compositions by Merz that underscore the music's sunnier side without sacrificing proficiency or substance. To escape the quartet format's inbred redundancy, Merz interweaves and sustains contrast by moving from tenor saxophone to alto or soprano, and by sharing the front ...