ssica Williams
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Jessica Williams


Jessica Williams, pianist and composer
Background information
Born March 17, 1948 (1948-03-17) (age 59)
Origin Baltimore, Maryland, US
Genre(s) Jazz
Instrument(s) Piano
Years active 1960s — present
Label(s) Red and Blue Records
Jessica Jennifer Williams (b. March 17, 1948) is an American pianist and composer who has deep roots in jazz. She has been called "one of the top jazz pianists of today."[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Recognition
3 Selected Discography
4 References



[edit] History
Williams was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She began her music career young, taking piano lessons at the age of four and began classical training at the Peabody Conservatory of Music when she was seven.[1][2] She moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during her teens and began playing with the quintet of Philly Joe Jones, the former Miles Davis drummer.

In 1977, she moved to San Francisco, California, where she played in various house bands, such as for Eddie Harris, Dexter Gordon, Tony Williams, and Stan Getz. She also became the house pianist for Keystone Korner. She recorded for Candid, Fantasy, Timeless, Concord, Jazz Focus, Hep, and MaxJazz record labels. She began her own label in 1997, called Red and Blue Recordings, on which to release her own original material. She also owns her own publishing company, JJW Music, and runs her own Internet CD mail-order business, jessicawilliams.com.

She appeared at the 2004 and 2006 "Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festivals" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

She currently resides in Washington State.