James Williams, born March 8, 1951 and died July 20, 2004, was an American jazz pianist. James Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee on March 8, 1951. At 13 years old, he began piano lessons. He was then appointed organist at Eastern Star Baptist Church Memphis. This position lasted six years. He received a B.S. He earned a B.S. in Music Education from Memphis State University. There he also made solid friendships with fellow Memphis musicians Mulgrew Miller, and Donald Brown. James was a devotee of Phineas Newborn, Jr., the late Memphis pianist. He spent time exploring his hometown’s rich jazz history, including with Harold Mabern, Jamil Nasser, and the saxophonists George Coleman, and Frank Strozier. Williams, then 22, moved to Boston to take up a position as a teacher at Berklee College of Music. He joined the band of drummer Alan Dawson, which supported touring artists such as Art Farmer and Milt Jackson. Williams recorded his first album in 1977 as a leader. He also played his first concert with his original compositions and met Art Blakey. James was forced to resign from Berklee after that encounter. He would go on to a four-year, 10-album stint with Jazz Messengers. This group included Wynton Marsalis and Bobby Watson, Charles Fambrough, Charles Fambrough, and Charles Fambrough. James left the Messengers in 1981 and remained in Boston. He re-joined Alan Dawson and played independently with artists such as Joe Henderson, Clark Terry and Benny Carter. Williams, who was a resident of Brooklyn, moved to New York in 1984. He became a deeply involved member of the city’s jazz scene, both as a performer and as a listener. Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown and George Duvivier were among his many musical collaborators. He also recorded and toured with such notable artists as Elvin Jones and Freddie Hubbard. James was a versatile leader who worked in many different formats. James’s own CDs include traditional piano-bass drums trios, larger ensembles with multiple horns, jazz trio with Boys Choir of Harlem with guest Diane Reeves, a unique four-piano arrangement with rhythm section, a sextet featuring three master saxophonists and a classic setting to host Clark Terry. James’s last group, “Intensive Care Unit”, is a jazz-gospel band featuring two vocalists, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, rhythm section and two saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, axophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, sa saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, ophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophonistsaxophone, saxophone, saxophone, saxophone, s and rhythm section. After producing his own album Alter Ego in 1984 for Sunnyside Records, he continued to produce albums for other musicians including Phineas, Jr., Harold Mabern and Billy Pierce. Finas Sound Productions, Inc. was Williams’s company in 1993. He consolidated his production activities there. Named in phonetic honor of Phineas Newborn Jr. who called his name “Fine’s-us”, the name is a phonetic tribute. Finas Sound was responsible for numerous recordings and concerts, including the highly-acclaimed “Musical Tributes”, and “The Key Players” series at Merkin Concert Hall, New York City. Williams was also an accomplished composer and had a distinctive voice. His compositions, such as “Arioso”, Black Scholars, and “Alter Ego”, are notable for their memorable melodies and quick rhythmic construction. Second Floor Music offers a folio featuring 13 of James’ original compositions as solo piano arrangements. Many of his songs have been featured on albums by other artists, such as Kenny Barron and Victor Lewis, Gary Burton, Roy Hargrove, and Gary Burton. Williams was also an educator who worked tirelessly for many years. He was also a member of the National Combo Camp faculty since 1975. He also held a teaching position at the Hartt School of Music during the 1984-85 academic year, was a regular contributor to the International Association of Jazz Educators, and was artist-in-residence and presented clinics, demonstration-lectures and workshops at numerous institutions. Under the leadership of David Baker, he was a charter member the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He succeeded Rufus Reid, Thad Jones as Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in 1999. He was an active teacher, hosting dozens of pre-concert interviews, teaching ensembles and lessons. He also performed with classical faculty members on campus’s Jazz Room Series. In 2004, he died unexpectedly from liver cancer. The James Williams Archive, which now forms part of the Living Jazz Archives at the William Paterson campus, contains his original manuscripts, LP collection, hundreds of performance tapes and photos, as well as awards. The James Williams Memorial was honored by Lady Dottie and the Diamonds, a blues band. From Wikipedia
