Christiern Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 Sorry to report that he apparently passed away last night (July 19) of liver cancer. Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 I am totally shocked and dismayed. A really fine player who should have brightened the world with his music for a far longer time than he was given. RIP. Quote
marcoliv Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 ouch...i'm shocked.... i fully agree with you Dan Marcus Quote
bertrand Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 This is very sad news. I got to know James a little (he played in D.C. a lot). He was a real gentleman, and a wonderful musician. He will sorely be missed. Bertrand. Quote
Jim R Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 This is very sad news. Only 53 years old... R.I.P. Quote
Spontooneous Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 (edited) I'm shocked. He came to Kansas City several times and never disappointed. There was a brilliant sparkle and sense of fun to his playing. He was also charming, and helpful to younger musicians. I saw him give Art Blakey's phone number to a KC player he thought was Messenger material. (It was just a months before Blakey died, so it wasn't to be.) Rest in peace, James. Edited July 21, 2004 by Spontooneous Quote
ssjazz Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 This is very sad news. I got to know James a little (he played in D.C. a lot). He was a real gentleman, and a wonderful musician. He will sorely be missed. Bertrand. I only heard him once. At a church on Capitol Hill, in D.C. I didn't realize he had been here other times. I've been looking for his Maybeck recital CD for a few years. I think it was the final CD in that Concord series, but I've never seen it listed in the Concord records' catalogs or sale mailings. Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 I'm spinning James' "Magical Trio" CDs right now as I paint the dining room. Man oh man, could he swing or what! The date with Ray Brown & Elvin Jones, "Magical Trio 2" is my favorite... good God, they're all gone now. Sad news. Later, Kevin Quote
Eric Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 Wow - that is a complete shocker. So young ... Quote
brownie Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 Today's The New York Times obituary: James Williams, Pianist and Leading Jazz Educator, Dies at 53 By BEN RATLIFF James Williams, a pianist formerly in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and a leading jazz educator, died yesterday in Manhattan. He was 53 and lived in Brooklyn. The cause was liver cancer, said Jenise Grice, fiancée of the drummer Tony Reedus, Mr. Williams's nephew. Mr. Williams was born in Memphis, and he grew up surrounded by musicians like Harold Mabern, George Coleman and Jamil Nasser. Like them, he used elements of gospel and blues in his sunny, swinging improvisations. But as a teacher and producer of jazz, he was also a repository of standards in jazz, including the more modern ones; he was especially interested in the pianist Phineas Newborn Jr., who also came from Memphis. After attending Memphis State University, Mr. Williams moved to Boston, where he taught at Berklee College of Music from 1972 to 1977; at that time he worked with groups led by Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw and others. In 1977 he joined the Jazz Messengers, playing over four years and 10 albums and alongside Wynton Marsalis and Bobby Watson. In 1984, Mr. Williams moved to New York, where he became a bandleader and educator as well as a producer of albums and concerts. He formed the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, a four-pianist group; he also started a band called Intensive Care Unit, which used a revolving cast of singers and worked at reconciling gospel with jazz. He formed Finas Sound Productions, through which he produced many albums and concerts. He was named director of jazz studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., in 1999 and taught until he was hospitalized in April of this year. Mr. Williams is survived by two brothers, Hannibal Parkes and Ralph Parkes, both of Memphis; and a sister, Barbara Williams, also of Memphis. Quote
Tom in RI Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 I had the opportunity to see James Williams a couple of times during his time in Boston. I remember he kept a mailing list which I don't think was common at the time. He was also one of the most approachable artists I have ever met. The last time I saw him he was leading a band with Billy Pierce and Frank Strozier, Alan Dawson on drums, can't remember the bass player. That was in Somerville, MA. Quote
bertrand Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 Frank Strozier?????? How long ago was this. My understanding is Strozier hasn't picked up his horn in 25 years. Bertrand. Quote
Christiern Posted July 21, 2004 Author Report Posted July 21, 2004 Frank Strozier?????? How long ago was this. My understanding is Strozier hasn't picked up his horn in 25 years. Bertrand. Your understanding needs revision. Here's a photo I took of Frank Strozier with Terence Blanchard and Ray Mantilla at the 1984 Umbria Festival in Perugia. Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 Probably between 1981 and 1984 when Williams lived in Boston. Mike Quote
Tom in RI Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 As to the date that I saw Strozier with James Williams, it was early '80's. Frank Strozier was also an easy guy to talk to. I struck up a conversion with him outside of the club between sets and he was very gracious. Being Boston I think he assumed I was in school at Berkeley, he asked what I played and I had to tell him only the turntable, which meant something different then, I suppose, than it does now. Quote
stevebop Posted July 22, 2004 Report Posted July 22, 2004 The club you are thinking of was The Willow in Ball Square, Somerville. The bassist most likely was John Lockwood but it's been awhile. I know I was there also. Quite a few years ago I did a radio f eature on Strozier, got a copy to James for his listening pleasure. Everytime I saw him after that, and I saw him dozens and dozens of times, he never failed to thank me for doing a show on Frank and for giving him a copy. James was the sweetest and most soulful person. I'll miss him as we all will. Quote
cannonball-addict Posted July 22, 2004 Report Posted July 22, 2004 James Williams was kind especially to young musicians like myself. After gigs he would entertain us with stories and let us in on the recordings he considered gems. I would always bring a pen to his sets, though I only saw him three times. The Contemporary Piano Ensemble was an amazing group and I hope James' death inspires its members to now devote their remembrances to Phineas Newborn AND James Williams. He was a visionary while at the same time embracing the tradition. He loved to play standards and we all loved him for that because it showed he was interested in communicating with us - the audience. This is what I most loved about James. I am sad that I did not know about his illness. I would have sprung into action to help such a kind man. Quote
Tom in RI Posted July 22, 2004 Report Posted July 22, 2004 Stevebop right you are, it was the Willow. Was Rufus Reid in Boston then? I think he may have been the bassist. Quote
mikeweil Posted July 22, 2004 Report Posted July 22, 2004 The Contemporary Piano Ensemble was an amazing group and I hope James' death inspires its members to now devote their remembrances to Phineas Newborn AND James Williams. He was a visionary while at the same time embracing the tradition. I'm totally shocked by this unecpected news. Saw him with the Messengers many years ago. The Spirit of Camaraderie displayed in the Contemporary Piano Ensemble was remarkabale, now it's sadly time for them to do a tribute record. RIP and thanks for the messages! Quote
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