Results for "James Williams"
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James Williams
Born:
James Williams was an American jazz pianist. Williams began playing piano at age 13, and served as the organist at the Eastern Star Baptist Church in Memphis for six years early in his career. He attended Memphis State University, where he began playing jazz. In 1973 he became a faculty member at the Berklee College of Music, also playing with Alan Dawson's group alongside visiting musicians such as Milt Jackson, Art Farmer, and Sonny Stitt. His first album as a leader arrived in 1977, and in 1978 he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, remaining there for four years. He moved to New York City in the early 1980s, playing with Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and Kenny Burrell, and formed his own group, the Intensive Care Unit, with Christian McBride, Bill Pierce, and Tony Reedus
Ahmad Jamal: In his Own Sense of Time and Place
by Josef Woodard
This interview first appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press on October 2005. The introduction has been updated. For the late, great and uniquely poetic pianist Ahmad Jamal, who passed on at age 92 on April 16, 2023, easy descriptors never sufficed in capturing his particular magic. He was a classicist, a modernist, a minimalist ...
Bobby Broom: Keyed Up
by Jack Bowers
On his latest album, Keyed Up, the well-traveled and well-respected guitarist Bobby Broom pays tribute to pianists “who have been an important part of [his] musical life." As he writes, ..."many great pianists who didn't need to include my six-string version of what they could already do harmonically and melodically saw fit to include me. Perhaps, ...
The Infinite Variety of the Human Voice
by Jerome Wilson
This show examines a wide variety of jazz singing styles, including frisky swinging by Annie Ross and Eddie Jefferson, vocal chorus work from New York Voices, wordless experimenting by Karin Krog and folk song interpretations by Maxine Sullivan and Sheila Jordan. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The ...
John Clayton: Career Reflections
by Schaen Fox
John Clayton is as interesting to talk to as he is an artist of great talent and experience. The former has allowed him to interact with numerous major figures of his time as well as have long tenures performing with aggregations as diverse as Count Basie's band and the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. The latter gives him ...
Meet Mulgrew Miller
by AAJ Staff
From the 1995-2003 archive: This article first appeared at All About Jazz in June 2002. All About Jazz: You were born in Greenwood, Mississippi, and grew up listening to blues, gospel and R&B music. What attracted you to jazz? Mulgrew Miller: The thing that pulled me toward jazz was jazz itself. By ...
Take Five with Will Lyle
by AAJ Staff
Meet Will Lyle Born in Southern California, Will began studying cello when he was three and also played drums, guitar, piano and percussion, taking up the electric bass at the age of 12. “I had aspirations to become a producer and I originally went to Berklee for musical production, but during my freshman year I heard ...
Mark Ruffin: Bebop Fairy Tales
by Seton Hawkins
Celebrating 40 years as a jazz broadcaster, music producer, and writer this year, Mark Ruffin--perhaps best known as the program director for the Real Jazz channel on SiriusXM --stands as one of jazz's unsung heroes. Countless artists owe their career successes and prominence to his tireless efforts, boundless enthusiasm and advocacy, and encyclopedic knowledge of the ...
Frank Tiberi, Joe Lovano and George Garzone: Tiberian Mode
by Jim Worsley
While the three tenor saxophone soloists with piano, bass, and drums was already a proven sextet formula, the Tiberian Mode is one of vast reproportioning and accelerated creativity. Led by big band divinity Frank Tiberi and two of his disciples, George Garzone, and Joe Lovano, the project unleashes power, vigor, and contrasting jazz sensibilities.
March Birthdays Including Nat Cole & Lennie Tristano Centennials
by Marc Cohn
We've got a nice slug of celebrants to honor in addition to our 'centennialins.' Our best wishes go out to Bill Frisell (playing here with Andrew Cyrille and Wadada Leo Smith), Joe Locke, Charles Lloyd, and Roy Haynes (backing Sarah Vaughan). A very special shout out to Jessica Williams! Enjoy the show! Playlist Joe ...
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