James Williams
Pianist James Williams channeled the gospel and R&B influences of his youth to forge a soulful, deeply expressive approach to contemporary jazz. A gifted soloist and accompanist, he was also a respected producer and educator. Born in Memphis on March 8, 1951, Williams began piano lessons at age 13. A fan of Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Ramsey Lewis, he spent six years as the organist with Memphis' Eastern Star Baptist Church before studying music education at Memphis State University. After befriending fellow pianists Mulgrew Miller and Donald Brown, Williams turned his focus to jazz, drawing influence from Hank Jones, Ahmad Jamal, and local legend Phineas Newborn. At just 22 Williams joined the faculty of Boston's Berklee School of Music, additionally backing touring jazz dignitaries like Milt Jackson, Art Farmer, and Sonny Stitt in groups led by colleague Alan Dawson. During his five years at Berklee, the pianist also developed his compositional skills, and in 1977 issued his first LP as a leader, the Zim label release Flying Colors. Williams joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers the following year, completing a lineup that included a young Wynton Marsalis. This iteration of Blakey's long-running group cut no fewer than ten LPs over the next four years. Upon exiting the Jazz Messengers Williams settled in New York City, where he collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and Kenny Burrell in addition to leading his own projects, among them his vocal/instrumental combo Intensive Care Unit, a group featuring saxophonist Bill Pierce, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Tony Reedus. In 1987 Williams reunited with Blakey and bassist Ray Brown in the Magical Trio. Later incarnations included drummers Elvin Jones and Jeff "Tain" Watts. He also founded his own production firm, Finas Sound, and with Miller and Brown launched the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, a group dedicated to preserving and promoting the music of Phineas Newborn. In 1999 William Paterson University named Williams its director of jazz studies; he remained with the school until he was diagnosed with the liver cancer that claimed his life on July 20, 2004.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
-
-
The Maybeck Recital Series, Vol. 42 (Live At Maybeck Recital Hall, Berkeley, CA / August 27, 1995)
Jazz - Released by Concord Jazz on 1 Apr 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
In Your Eyes (Bonus Track Version)
Pop - Released by Legacy Recordings on 21 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Miracles of the Heart (Bonus Track Version)
Pop - Released by Legacy Recordings on 21 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Focus
Jazz - Released by Red records - Crepuscule edizioni musicali on 27 Aug 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Praise Him
Gospel - Released by James Williams on 21 Nov 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Praisology: The Freshman Years
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by James Williams on 2 Jun 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Wanna Praise You
Gospel - Released by James Williams on 11 Jun 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Eclectic Shred
Miscellaneous - Released by Eclectic Shred Records on 20 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just Can't Tell It All
Contemporary Jazz - Released by James Williams on 11 Feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Resonate EP (Original Mix)
Miscellaneous - Released by Defcon Recordings on 12 Nov 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schlaf Baby Schlaf (Die schönsten Schlaflieder für Baby und Kleinkind)
Carl Andersson, Johann Gropius, James Williams, Giuseppe del Monaco
Classical - Released by Masterpieces Kids on 17 Nov 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Honey, Hypnotize Me
Alternative & Indie - Released by James Williams on 14 Mar 2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
We are Titans no more
Miscellaneous - Released by NU Communicate Recordings on 26 Apr 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo