EKE BBB Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 https://www.facebook.com/100000324831556/posts/5091752047512239/?d=n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 R.I.P .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 Sorry to hear that, though I never checked out her music. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 Fine player, brave soul. RIP. I recommend these LPs to anyone new to Jessica Williams: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 Very sad. I somehow didn't pay much attention to her for a while but then later became a big fan. She was an enormous talent. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 28 minutes ago, John L said: I somehow didn't pay much attention to her for a while but then later became a big fan. She was an enormous talent. RIP Same here. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.D. Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 (edited) RIP. Greatly enjoyed her playing. Starting in the early oughts I acquired a number of recordings, but in those days she was releasing so many that I couldn't keep up. Every recording I've heard, incl. the two above from Yoshi's, is recommendable. All of the titles on Maxjazz were good, and I'd also consider solo recordings, e.g. the Maybeck volume, All Alone on Maxjazz, etc. Edited March 15, 2022 by T.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Dryden Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 I was introduced to her music through the Maybeck solo CD. Over time I've acquired a lot of her discography, while her Jazz Focus CDs are getting harder to find. I think she had to give up performing due to health issues, one of which was back problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 8 minutes ago, Ken Dryden said: I was introduced to her music through the Maybeck solo CD. Over time I've acquired a lot of her discography, while her Jazz Focus CDs are getting harder to find. I think she had to give up performing due to health issues, one of which was back problems. Yes, her Wikipedia entry notes: "In 2012 Williams had a spinal infusion with internal instrumentation at Swedish Hospital's Neurosurgery Unit at Seattle, WA and subsequently lost her ability to perform." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub Modal Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 1 minute ago, BillF said: Yes, her Wikipedia entry notes: "In 2012 Williams had a spinal infusion with internal instrumentation at Swedish Hospital's Neurosurgery Unit at Seattle, WA and subsequently lost her ability to perform." That’s awful. She must have been in so much pain prior to that operation. RIP. I really need to check out more of her work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 21 minutes ago, T.D. said: Starting in the early oughts I acquired a number of recordings, but in those days she was releasing so many that I couldn't keep up. Her Selected Discography in Wikipedia lists 42 albums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 1 hour ago, Joe said: Fine player, brave soul. RIP. I recommend these LPs to anyone new to Jessica Williams: Seconded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 R.I.P. She was a wonderful pianist & musician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 I spent my late teens and early twenties sitting behind Jessica, watching her play at the Keystone Korner. Thanks, and RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 (edited) R.I.P. I have a number of Jessica's recordings, including all her recordings on the Canadian Jazz Focus label which Ken mentioned (that label is a story in itself). She was a great pianist, and could swing like crazy, especially when she was playing with Leroy Vinnegar. Edited March 15, 2022 by John Tapscott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 This is hitting me hard as I knew it would. I met Jessica in the late 80s after she moved from San Francisco. She played every Wednesday night at the On Broadway for years and I was there most of those nights. She used to put on house concerts in her home for a $5 donation and everyone brought food and beverages for a potluck. It was a good environment to hear her and I met many people including some I am still good friends with. She moved quite a bit over the years but we always kept in touch. She was a deep thinker. We had many a long phone conversation over the years. She could really talk when she got on a roll! I loved the way she deconstructed standards and few people could play Monk as well as her imo. Blazing fast when she wanted to be, she slowed her technique down in her later years which I applauded as she didn’t have anything to prove anymore. I have all but a few of her cds, over thirty cassettes and her early lps so you can say I’m a bit of a fan. Currently listening to Inventions on Jazz Focus from 1995 which is one of many, many fine albums she made over her lifetime. I could go on but trying to avoid tl/dr. RIP Jessica. I love you and you’ll always be in my heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted March 15, 2022 Report Share Posted March 15, 2022 Damn! She was a great player. I managed to see her twice during some of her too infrequent trips to the east. RIP. You'll be missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkytonk Posted March 17, 2022 Report Share Posted March 17, 2022 Sad news. I just played one of her records about a week ago and was wondering how she was doing. I knew she was in poor health. I went to look at her website but it had been taken offline. I heard about her passing via this tribute by Ted Gioia. https://tedgioia.substack.com/p/remembering-jazz-pianist-jessica?s=r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted March 17, 2022 Report Share Posted March 17, 2022 Sorry to hear this, RIP. Never got to see her perform sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted March 19, 2022 Report Share Posted March 19, 2022 This is very sad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted March 20, 2022 Report Share Posted March 20, 2022 RIP did she have back problems from sitting at piano // posture problems- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted March 20, 2022 Report Share Posted March 20, 2022 On 3/17/2022 at 11:01 AM, funkytonk said: Sad news. I just played one of her records about a week ago and was wondering how she was doing. I knew she was in poor health. I went to look at her website but it had been taken offline. I heard about her passing via this tribute by Ted Gioia. https://tedgioia.substack.com/p/remembering-jazz-pianist-jessica?s=r Thanks for the link. Really well done and gets to what made her playing so special. I’ve seen her more than any other musician and own more albums by her than anyone. Every performance was special. I’ve been listening to her Jazz Focus cds lately instead of her “newer” stuff and it’s brought back wonderful memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted March 21, 2022 Report Share Posted March 21, 2022 Hugely important for the trans community, as one of the first trans musicians, in the sense she didn't have to hide her identity, unlike Billy Tipton for exxample Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted March 21, 2022 Report Share Posted March 21, 2022 RIP, Jessica. Thanks for the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted March 21, 2022 Report Share Posted March 21, 2022 15 hours ago, CJ Shearn said: Hugely important for the trans community, as one of the first trans musicians, in the sense she didn't have to hide her identity, unlike Billy Tipton for exxample Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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