Jessica Williams
Richard F. Parker
pianist who is way underappreciated. She has several CDs out including a
solo outing at the Maybeck recital hall (Concord). Her solo chops are
frightening and seriously influenced by Monk. Anyone else a fan? Last I
heard she had moved to the Portland Oregon area. Anyone there heard her
play locally? I am at a loss to explain why such a talent is not getting
more exposure. She is definitely a cut above many of her male
contemporaries.
--
Richard F. Parker
(ri...@netcom.com)
Denis Lynch
writes:
> I have recently been listening to Jessica Williams, an extraordinary jazz
> pianist who is way underappreciated.
>
I'm a struggling piano player myself, so I listen to lots of others. Williams
is definitely my favorite. I like the way she combines modern harmonies and
voicings with good old-fashioned solid rhythm and SWING. And she does some
cool things with her hands inside the piano (like on the Pharoah Sanders tune
"The Creator Has a Master Plan" -- just the idea that she can pull off that
tune on solo piano is amazing!) I also really like her articulation and
textures. Every note is there for a reason, and you can hear them all. She
seems to think more of "voices" than many players, sounding less homophonic.
I've been unable to figure out why she gets so little attention. Part of it
could be that she seems to pick a new record company for each release; and I
read somewhere that she has released more than 35(!) recordings on her own
label.
> Last I heard she had moved to the Portland Oregon area.
>
She lives near Santa Cruz, CA. I saw her a couple of months ago at a house
concert: her trio and Ali Ryerson on flute. The flute part was pretty
forgettable, but the piano playing was great! Mostly standards, but they also
did one of Williams' compositions: "The Child Within" (I think that's the
right name).
I recall hearing on the radio about her playing at least one other place in
the SF Bay area
She will be playing in a few weeks as part of the Stanford Jazz Workshop --
I'm really looking forward to this!
--
Denis Lynch d...@esl.com
TRW Business Intelligence Systems Voice 408.743.6318
Sunnyvale, CA FAX 408.752.2501
Richard F. Parker
: In article <riffCsL...@netcom.com> ri...@netcom.com (Richard F. Parker)
Max Pyziur
: I have recently been listening to Jessica Williams, an extraordinary jazz
Mike Antonucci
Yes, I'm a fan, too. She's a PNW "local" and shows up in the
Seattle area quite often. I've not seen her perform, but soon will
as she will be at the Kirkland, WA Jazz-fest in mid-Aug. (Across
the lake from Seattle.)
I recently bought my first CD by her when my very knowledgeable
local Tower jazz-guy told me her recent HEP CD 2054, THE NEXT STEP,
was a "must have." He was right, as usual. It, like the Maybeck
one is a solo album, and I liked it so much I bought a second copy
for my piano-playing daughter!
According to the liner notes, She moved to the Seattle/Portland
area for a while, from the Bay Area, but since has moved back to
CA. Anyway, she's coming back to Seattle soon, and I'll be sure to
catch her act!
Mike
Roderick Wong
Charles Pearce
concert CD. I've become such a fan that I've gone on a one-man crusade
to promote her to all my jazz friends. I like all the cuts on the
Maybeck CD, but I especially love the ones she composed herself. Does
anyone have a discography?
Marc Sabatella
> I recall hearing on the radio about her playing at least one other place in
> the SF Bay area
I used to hear her every Tuesday at Yoshi's about six years ago. She was great
live - a very creative band, with John Wittala on bass and Bud Spangler (yes,
the KJAZ dj) on drums. I haven't been nearly as impressed with the recordings
I've heard: "Nothing But The Truth" and "And Then, There's This..." (or
something like that). They seem much more to be a Monk/Powell/Nichols tribute
recital - nothing really very groundbreaking, although as you say, very nice
articulation and swing, particularly on the latter. But it seemed to me her
live performances were more exploratory.
> And she does some
> cool things with her hands inside the piano (like on the Pharoah Sanders tune
> "The Creator Has a Master Plan" -- just the idea that she can pull off that
> tune on solo piano is amazing!)
This sounds more like what I would hear live. What recording is this from?
--
Marc Sabatella
ma...@sde.hp.com
--
All opinions expressed herein are my personal ones
and do not necessarily reflect those of HP or anyone else.
Lydia Kulbida
Hi Max!
Whatcha doin' over here :) ?
Keep on swingin'!
Lydia (Lida)
Denis Lynch
writes:
> Denis Lynch wrote:
> > And she does some
> > cool things with her hands inside the piano (like on the Pharoah Sanders
> > tune "The Creator Has a Master Plan" -- just the idea that she can pull
> > off that tune on solo piano is amazing!)
>
> This sounds more like what I would hear live. What recording is this from?
>
It's on "Arrival", Jazz Focus JFCD001. I bought it at that house concert; I
don't know if its obtainable through normal channels. From the CD:
Jazz Focus Records
2217 23rd Sreet S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2T 5H6
It's all solo piano, recorded in October 1993 in Calgary. The tunes are:
1. Birks Works (Gillespie)
2. I've Never Been In Love Before (Loesser)
3. Japanese Fold Song (Traditional)
4. Misterioso (Monk)
5. Lulu's Back In Town (Warren & Dubin)
6. Ruby My Dear (Monk)
7. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (Barris, Koehler & Moll)
8. Blues for Strayhorn (Weston)
9. For You Again (Williams)
10. The Creator Has a Master Plan (Sanders)
11. The Child Within (Williams)
12. Mood Indigo (Ellington, Bigard & Mills)
Marc Sabatella
> 3. Japanese Fold Song (Traditional)
Is this the same one Monk recorded on "Straight, No Chaser" (Columbia)?
Does anyone know how much of this really is a traditional Japanese folk song?
J. David Holmes
>Richard F. Parker (ri...@netcom.com) wrote:
>: I have recently been listening to Jessica Williams, an extraordinary jazz
>: pianist who is way underappreciated. She has several CDs out including a
>: solo outing at the Maybeck recital hall (Concord). Her solo chops are
>: frightening and seriously influenced by Monk. Anyone else a fan? Last I
>: heard she had moved to the Portland Oregon area. Anyone there heard her
>: play locally? I am at a loss to explain why such a talent is not getting
>: more exposure. She is definitely a cut above many of her male
>: contemporaries.
>>: --
>>: Richard F. Parker
>>: (ri...@netcom.com)
>>Is there any connection between Jessica Williams and Greg Hatza?
Hatza and Williams both hail from Baltimore (Hatza still lives here).
It's interesting that you should site Williams as being a "cut above
her male comtemporaries". She once was male, and named George Maxwell.
--Dave
Mike Antonucci
>Hatza and Williams both hail from Baltimore (Hatza still lives here).
>It's interesting that you should site Williams as being a "cut above
>her male comtemporaries". She once was male, and named George Maxwell.
>
>--Dave
>
As a PNW Jessica Williams fan, I find this to be "quite a
statement." Did she... he... she... (aw, fergetit) ever record as
George Maxwell? When did all this "new persona" take place?
Did the operation also improve her/his piano playing? ;-)
Mike
J. David Holmes
Mike Antonucci <mi...@honeybee.win.net> wrote:
>
>As a PNW Jessica Williams fan, I find this to be "quite a
>statement." Did she... he... she... (aw, fergetit) ever record as
>George Maxwell? When did all this "new persona" take place?
I only heard "him" play once, in 1974 accompaning Gary Burton
at a clinic/concert. It was impressive. I don't know of any
recordings as George Maxwell. The "new persona" took place shortly
after that time. I heard "her" play several times before she
headed west, equally impressive.
baltim...@gmail.com
Maxwell was a monster piano player in Baltimore in the early '70s. He was sought after and played all over town. Aspiring jazz players also sought him out for instruction. I must confess that I was once on a gig with him, with Al "Mad Man" Baitch, and while I'm a really good reading bass player, I have never had the "play-by-ear" chops this gig required. Being so accomplished, George's threshold for harmonic pain was low, and he told Al he'd rather play without a bass than with me, and I packed up and left. As cold and humiliating as that sounds, he was actually very kind to me on the way out ... he just couldn't handle bad notes. Can't really blame him for that.
I love Jessica William's playing, from the little I've heard on recording. My personal speculation is that the transition didn't make Jessica a better musician than George, but I'm certain that it made possible her continued growth and maturation as a person, as well as musician.
http://www.jessicawilliams.com
Stan T
>
>
>
> Maxwell was a monster piano player in Baltimore in the early '70s. He was sought after and played all over town. Aspiring jazz players also sought him out for instruction. I must confess that I was once on a gig with him, with Al "Mad Man" Baitch, and while I'm a really good reading bass player, I have never had the "play-by-ear" chops this gig required. Being so accomplished, George's threshold for harmonic pain was low, and he told Al he'd rather play without a bass than with me, and I packed up and left. As cold and humiliating as that sounds, he was actually very kind to me on the way out ... he just couldn't handle bad notes. Can't really blame him for that.
>
>
>
> I love Jessica William's playing, from the little I've heard on recording. My personal speculation is that the transition didn't make Jessica a better musician than George, but I'm certain that it made possible her continued growth and maturation as a person, as well as musician.
>
>
>
> http://www.jessicawilliams.com
hgary...@gmail.com
hg
