In July, we lost a special person in Jazz. James Williams was a wonderful pianist and teacher, and an extraordinary human being. His abrupt illness and subsequent passing took everyone by surprise, leaving all of us shocked.

I first met James at (then) Memphis State University, where he was a student in the program directed by Tom Ferguson. An exceptional group of musicians came through Memphis State in those years. Among them, along with James, were bassist Sylvester Sample; drummers “Stix” Baker and Donny Patterson; trumpeters Bill Mobley and Tim Turner; pianists Donald Brown and Mulgrew Miller; saxophonists Bill Easley and Gary Topper; and many others. It was a great period in Memphis State music history.

James always stood out because he was a natural leader; he also knew how to motivate others to move in the right direction. He held his family and friends close, but shared himself with anyone who wanted to partake of whatever he had to give. Though we played together only a few times after he left school and went on to Boston and later New York, we did keep in touch.

James’ departure is a deep and sad loss for his family and friends and for our music, Jazz. He will be sorely missed, never to be replaced. James was a beautiful spirit - both musically and personally. This edition of Cadenzas is dedicated to James’ memory. The article immediately following originally appeared in the Memphis newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, beautifully written by Bill Ellis, and is followed by a review of James’ last concert in Memphis written by a friend and classmate, composer/trumpeter Stanley Friedman.

Dear James - rest well and know you will remain with us always.

James Williams, the acclaimed Memphis pianist, composer and jazz champion, died of cancer Tuesday (July 20) at New York University Medical Center. Mr. Williams, who had lived for decades in New York City, was 53.

Members of the jazz community described Mr. Williams as a consummate performer, bandleader, teacher and jazz advocate. "He was very well-liked and respected by everybody," said jazz matriarch Marian McPartland, host of the popular NPR program "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz." Mr. Williams was a close friend of McPartland's and appeared on her show several times. "He was such an inventive guy and he was always trying to help other musicians," she said. "He did a great many good things for music and for Memphis." Longtime friend and piano peer Harold Mabern agreed. "From Milt Jackson to Clark Terry to Dianne Reeves, everybody truly loved and respected James," he said. "Whatever he did, he was always a professional of the highest level. He knew and understood the language of all musicians."

The Bluff City-born pianist - who cut his teeth as a teen playing gospel organ at Eastern Star Baptist Church - pursued music education at Memphis State University. After graduating in 1972, he took a teaching position at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music.

Mr. Williams's reputation was set when he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1977, a career-defining gig he held for four years and 10 albums. He was part of a famous Blakey lineup that also included Bobby Watson, Billy Pierce and a young Wynton Marsalis. "James was my teacher," said Watson. "He taught me songs and standards and harmonic devices to use in improvisation." After leaving the Messengers, Mr. Williams maintained an active solo career largely defined by work within the jazz mainstream. Yet he took interesting turns and always attracted a top echelon of players. He worked live and on record with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Stitt, Art Farmer, Elvin Jones and Kenny Burrell.

Observed the Los Angeles Times: "Williams displays a deep understanding of the jazz piano tradition as he plays with the grace of Red Garland and the rhythmic intensity of Ahmad Jamal."

He left behind a prolific, often-praised catalog with more than 20 albums as a session leader. His compositions also garnered attention, as when rap act Digable Planets sampled the Blakey number "Stretchin'," written by Williams, for its Grammy-winning 1993 hit, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)."

A keen observer of jazz history, Mr. Williams was known for pursuing projects that made special note of the art form's elders, many under the aegis of Finas Sound Productions, a company he founded in 1993 to build on the legacy of such pioneers as late Bluff City pianist Phineas Newborn Jr. Newborn - an influence through much of Mr. Williams's life - was the impetus for a 1989 album, For Piano, For Phineas, as well as the formation of a super-group in tribute to Newborn, the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, with fellow pianists Mabern, Mulgrew Miller, Donald Brown and Geoff Keezer.

An extension of that idea was another piano tour-de-force, recorded as Memphis Piano Convention, and an album titled Memphis Convention that gathered some of the most respected names in Bluff City jazz, both produced for the D.I.W. label in Japan.

Among Mr. Williams's last projects was the group ICU (Intensive Care Unit), a jazz ensemble that leaned heavily on the genre's blues and gospel connections. It was something of a full circle move for Mr. Williams, who valued gospel music as much as jazz. "I used to tease him," said Mabern. "I'd say, 'You know, James, if you could make a great living playing gospel music, you'd probably do so.' 'Cause he truly loved his gospel music." Mr. Williams, who had been director of Jazz Studies at New Jersey's William Paterson University since 1999, made a point of returning to Memphis often, including concerts at Eastern Star Baptist Church and a string of Holiday Homecoming Jazz Fests throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

The local promoter of those festivals, Irwin Sheft, said Mr. Williams will be remembered as keeper of the Memphis jazz flame. "He was to the Memphis musicians what Sinatra was to the Rat Pack," said Sheft. "James absolutely was the focal point of Memphis jazz."

He is survived by a sister, Barbara Williams, and two brothers, Hannibal Parks and Ralph Parks, all of Memphis.

Dr. Stanley Friedman is an internationally-known composer of operatic, orchestral, and chamber works for brass and other instruments and has held principal trumpet positions with several international orchestras.  He frequently performs and conducts his compositions at universities and music festivals as well as presenting seminars, workshops, and clinics. Stanley is a graduate of Memphis Central High School, where he was a friend and classmate of James Williams and Sylvester Sample. He may be contacted through his website: www.stanleyfriedman.com. This is a review of the last concert that James Williams - with his long-time friends and band mates - presented in Memphis last December.
 

On December 21, 2003, I was privileged to attend a most special jazz event at the King’s Palace on Beale Street in Memphis. It was special both for the world-class quality of the music and for the particular occasion that brought together the performers and the audience, which included many prominent musicians as well. Sadly, the concert was special also because it can never happen again.

The evening featured a reunion of members of the Memphis Central High School Bands from the years 1967 through 1969 (and those who continued their studies at the University of Memphis). Such get-togethers typically are nice enough and give middle-aged types a chance to dust off their horns and have a few laughs. But when famed piano virtuoso James Williams is leading the featured combo, one knows this is going to be no ordinary reunion. And when Williams’ combo includes the great trumpeter-composer-band leader Bill Mobley, tenor-flautist-film composer Gary Topper, bassist Sylvester Sample, Jr., and drummer Jim “Stix” Baker, the evening becomes a truly significant musical happening.

These artists had not played together as a combo since the early 1970s, although there have been partial reunions from time to time. Williams, Mobley, and Topper have lived in New York for many years. Baker is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Sample is an engineer now living in Columbus, Ohio. But whether playing standards or numbers composed by Mobley and Topper that were new to the other players, the group clicked as if they had worked together every night. One could see it on their faces - their love for the music and for each other carried them along, and the years just melted away.

“Stix” Baker was the ideal combo drummer, always attentive to the solos, always supporting and complimenting his colleagues. Sylvester Sample showed that he is one of the most elegant, eloquent electric bassists on earth. On both flute and tenor, Gary Topper’s wonderful musical ideas were endless. Technically brilliant, Bill Mobley’s trumpet solos always were full of warmth and witty sophistication.

James Williams’ piano solos featured a wealth of melodic, harmonic, and, often, polyphonic invention. Within the course of just one extended improvisation, one heard echoes of gospel, blues, Miles, Duke, Gershwin, Chopin, Debussy, and more - all completely, logically, and magically incorporated within the existing context. Yet it all came out pure James Williams: highly original, unselfconscious, good-humored, and always thoroughly enchanting.

 The audience that night included L. M. Ragsdale, our band director from that era, now an accomplished painter and sculptor. Many of our Central High School (CHS) Band comrades were there, and many more were there in spirit. (including you, Marvin; you were already a jazz legend to us at CHS in the ‘60s, and, of course, you still are!)

Those years at CHS produced a number of professional musicians, some of us having pursued careers in classical music. Most of us were aware to some degree that we had lucked into very special circumstances and a unique collection of personalities in Memphis in the late ‘60s. Desegregation had brought the first African-American kids to CHS, including James Williams and Sylvester Sample. What extraordinary people! What an extraordinary opportunity for us all! What a tragedy and a waste it might have been had the racists had their way! James Williams deserves much of the credit for making it work, for bringing us together, for showing us the way.

With the passing years I have grown to appreciate that time and those people even more, and today I feel so proud and fortunate to be a part of it. The late ‘60s was a turbulent time in America. We were one of the good stories.

As I mentioned at the outset, this concert will never happen again. James Williams died on Tuesday, July 20, 2004, at the age of 53, a victim of liver cancer. He was truly among the most inspiring people I've ever known, not only for his musicianship, which was legendary, but also for his integrity, intelligence, and compassion. I learned so much from him about music and life, though some of his lessons took years to sink in.

Thanks, James, for being with us as long as you could.

Dr. Jack Cooper is a saxophone/woodwind performer and the highly-respected Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee. He has a BA and MA in music from California State University, Los Angeles, and holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. Jack joined the University of Memphis as a faculty member in 1998.
 

This past year, a close friend of mine was hired for a wonderful new job in an up-and-coming school of music in the Midwest - one of the largest public universities in the country. My friend is a highly motivated world-class woodwind player who has a good grasp of jazz ensemble literature. The administration at his new university has already pledged him their support. He is fortunate to have been given such an opportunity at this point in his career, and I believe his new university is equally fortunate to have him.

Although he has not been in front of a student big band in several years, my friend was appointed director of the jazz ensemble(s). There are already a number of students in his new program; in the past, however, the jazz area has not been well organized, nor have the students been inspired. Because he and I have always openly shared information with one another, he asked my thoughts and advice regarding issues with which I felt he should be concerned during the first few months or even the first year with his jazz orchestra. Many of my closest friends today have fine programs, so we often share our ideas because we want all music students everywhere to have the opportunity to develop. We also want our programs to do well, and we want to train good musicians and future music teachers in our respective regions of the country. This sharing of resources goes along with our great desire to see the art of jazz stay alive.

Given that my friend asked my thoughts for his initial period with this group, I offered him the following basic tips about what I try to reinforce as a jazz ensemble conductor with my band.

He asked: “Jack, what should the ensemble instrumentation be? What other things do you think about?”

Personally, I like to include five trumpets and four trombones in my #1 band. My reasoning is this: Though most of the literature is written for four trumpets, there are a number of situations where there might be a need for five. If the music only calls for four trumpets, I usually copy and double the fourth part. Rather than placing the two fourth trumpet players together on the same side, I place them on either end of the section. In addition, I try to get all my trumpet players used to moving around and playing different parts because, as the only “homogeneous” section of the band, trumpets have the most flexibility. I always think of them as having the brass choir “heralding sound.” I believe a director should go for very clear and balanced intervals coming up over the band with a distinct lead sound. Two fourth players doubling the lead an octave below will never hurt; rather, it tends to help the lead focus better on pitch and difficult intervals. It is my hope that the band will have enough trumpet players with stamina, range - and good musical sense - that one of them can be designated the auxiliary lead player. Splitting the lead trumpet book allows each of the players to rest a bit instead of having to play the high stuff throughout a whole concert.

I prefer only four trombones - three tenor trombones and a bass trombone - not five. Only rarely is there a need for five trombones. If a group does have five trombones, I feel that parts should not be doubled (unlike the trumpets) as doing so will throw off the section’s balance – a common problem because of the range in which trombones play, the way they are voiced in the chords (Is, IIIs, VIIs), and the sonic weight of the instrument itself.

Neil Slater’s University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band uses five trombones as did Tom Ferguson when he directed the formerly known Memphis State University Band - now the University of Memphis, where I teach; but that is pretty much the exception these days. More often than not, the director will have to adapt literature for that size trombone section. If a director wants to perform works such as Kenton’s “Cuban Fire Suite” or Lalo Schifrin’s “Gillespiana,” he can bring extra players from his #2 band or borrow them from the wind ensemble for those particular pieces. It is best to use four trombones and add another trombone or tuba if or when the arrangement calls for it. If the director has a good working relationship with his applied instructors and the wind band conductor, he should have no problem getting extra players for the wind section of his big band (i.e. trombones, French horns, tuba, extra reed players).

Five saxophones is the norm, preferably two altos, two tenors and a baritone. I set up my saxophone section with the lead tenor on the inside next to the rhythm section (second trombone behind him), then the second alto, lead alto (seated in front of the lead trombone), second tenor (third trombone in back of him), and baritone (bass trombone behind him). This is a pretty standard setup, and it basically lines up all the parts according to the voicing and chord parts on the score page. Some directors prefer the baritone sax and bass trombone on the inside for reasons of tuning and better coordination with the bass player. I can understand this reasoning, but, if the students at that level are listening and the director knows how to rehearse, then the “stereophonic bass” approach has a big fat, warm symphonic sound. Keep in mind the “symphonic sound.” I will talk about this later.

The rhythm section should be set up with the bass between the drums and piano - just as the Oscar Peterson Trio sets up - and the rhythm section should try to play just THAT TIGHT! Unlike some directors, I have always disliked putting the bass player in the back, beside the trumpets. One has to make sure the rhythm section plays as a unit FIRST; nothing else matters. The drummer and bassist should be far enough toward the front of the band (bass drum should be on line with the trombones, just behind the lead tenor), to enhance their sensitivity to dynamics and so they can hear the whole band, all of which will have a positive effect on the overall musical landscape.

In my opinion, the lead trumpet player and the drummer are the “kings” of the band. The director should be most focused on those players because they ARE the band. Student drummers love to be super creative and too often are not good team players, so a director may frequently have to interrupt rehearsals to make them understand that, first and foremost, they are there for the band. He doesn’t need to raise his voice, but he must be firm in letting them know that the music on the page is what is most important. While the director may not be a drummer, he still needs to tell his drummer SPECIFICALLY what and how he wants him to play. Most drummers do not understand the concept of a fatter articulation, probably because of having played in rock bands. But this is an important concept and affects the length of the band's articulation. The drummer has to be “two steps in front of the band” in terms of “setting up” the ensemble.

Hearing John Hollenbeck performing this past year with Bob Brookmeyer’s New Art Orchestra gave me a great thrill; his playing encompassed exactly EVERYTHING I tell my drummers. John (Hollenbeck), John Riley, and Dennis Mackrel are, in my opinion, the best big band drummers today. Of course, Mel Lewis is the “bible.” I make my drummers listen to Mel’s recordings ALL THE TIME! Actually - in a way - the old Terry Gibbs recordings with Mel filling the drum chair are invaluable for young big band drummers because the charts are arrangements of simple standards and show how to play the most basic setups with good solid time. Yes, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra recordings are the best for student listening, but Mel’s technique is usually more complex with that group than with the Terry Gibbs or Kenton bands. The old Bill Holman recordings with Mel on the drums are also fantastic as examples of a simple “setting up” of the band and keeping great “time.”

One last consideration is critical – and most important in developing a solid ensemble.

A director should not think of a big band as just a big band, but rather as a symphony orchestra or wind ensemble. GET THE BAND TO PLAY WITH A WARM SOUND! FIRST, LOTS OF AIR!!!! Second; the band should only play with an “eee” sound from the throat and back pallet/tongue in situations where a shout chorus might call for it. The band generally should play with an “aahhh” sound as much as possible. Student groups typically play with a high edgy sound. This approach pushes the pitch higher, resulting in the students’ tendency to cut off notes too short and rush the tempo. Examples of what a director can do to counteract this tendency is to have his group listen to recordings of Count Basie’s “Lil' Darling,” the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) performing any of their ballads, the Ellington Orchestra playing “Chelsea Bridge,” and the Kenton Orchestra performing Bill Holman's “The Opener.” Two current large jazz groups that best fit this warm, symphonic sound idea are the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany, and the Bob Florence Big Band in Los Angeles. Students should be urged to play in the wind ensemble and school symphony orchestra – and REQUIRED in the course syllabus to take applied lessons.

Most students are accustomed to hearing high-end, edgy guitar and commercial synthesized sounds from all sorts of media. Many of them, even at the advanced level,  have no idea how to play music in a warm way. Personally, I listen to very few, if any, college jazz ensembles as a model for sound concept. I think this a significant shortcoming of too many college educators.

Just this past April, I heard the National Symphony Orchestra when they appeared at the Cannon Performing Arts Center here in Memphis. They presented the very best model of a marvelous sound that I have recently had the pleasure of hearing. Warm, cohesive, and focused, the sound that Maestro Leonard Slatkin extracted from the orchestra was truly beautiful. It is no wonder the National Symphony is regarded as one the very top orchestras on the planet. All large acoustic ensembles should strive for this warm sound concept.

 
What are some of the ingredients of a successful career in music? This question comes up many times when talking with young musicians. The great mystery for these students is, “What do I do after school, and what things are expected of me in the professional world?” The following are my thoughts, but I invite anyone else to contribute to this list either by responding to this article, which I will post in my In Response section, or by adding to it to give to your students.

I will begin by stating the obvious - the common sense rules that everyone is expected to abide by. While these rules may be apparent, they are the ones that many young musicians ignore; and by doing so, they penalize themselves, sometimes even nullifying a promising career.

The first rule is to understand that unless a musician is playing alone - that is, by himself - every rehearsal or performance of music is a team effort. This means that each person now bears several responsibilities to every other person involved in the music-making process. These responsibilities extend beyond just learning the music; they also entail one’s attitude and decorum toward the leader or conductor, the contractor, and his fellow musicians - and the job! This means making sure to arrive at performances and rehearsals 15 to 20 minutes before the start and always being “warmed up,” ready to play when the downbeat is given. It is also important that one dress appropriately for each type of engagement and be sober during work hours.

When a musician is hired for an engagement, he becomes, in effect, a representative for the group or contractor that hires him. Future employment for that group, that leader or that contractor may depend a great deal on the attitudes of the musicians hired. They must play well, dress appropriately and generally represent those who hire them. In short, it means behaving like a mature person who loves what he does and shows it. No one has to put on a show, but if a musician is unhappy taking a certain job, he should not accept it. There are plenty of fine musicians who would love having that job!

With this point having been made, we should get to the music. First and foremost, a musician must become a skilled player of his instrument; that, of course, is the basis of everything. But many other factors are also involved in becoming an employable musician. Too seldom mentioned in many music schools is the absolute need for a young performer to become acquainted with many different kinds of music, becoming an extremely versatile musician. Too many times, teachers - especially applied teachers - feel the need to discourage players from participating in ensembles in areas of music with which they are unfamiliar, such as Jazz. Whether the reason might be a territorial issue or a fear of the student being involved in music outside the teacher’s experience, it is nevertheless imperative that any student desiring to become a professional musician be well versed in as many areas of music as possible.

It is well known that some classical teachers express the view that playing in the commercial field might ruin one’s tone or hurt his technique. I beg to differ. I believe that performance in any field of music benefits one’s skills in any other. I am not alone in this thinking. Charlie Schlueter, principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony, played in Latin bands while in Juilliard; Tom Stevens, former principal trumpet in the Los Angeles Philharmonic, worked his way through college playing in horn sections of rock bands; and Joe Alessi, principal trombone in the New York Philharmonic, is a fine Jazz trombonist. These are only a few of the many classical musicians experienced in other fields of music. Conversely, I stress to all young Jazz musicians the need to study and perform in classical ensembles.

Though it seems that more teachers are broadening their views today, one still finds prejudice from one area of music to another. Do not fall victim to this narrow outlook! Whatever anyone says, versatility is one of the important keys to being a working musician. Consequently, I always encourage young musicians to develop a musical understanding of as many forms of music possible. They should get as much performing experience as they can, playing in concert bands or wind ensembles, symphony and chamber orchestras, jazz ensembles, chamber groups, and performing solo material.

Young musicians will rarely find such opportunities, playing so many different kinds of music, outside of school. These experiences will be invaluable going forward in their careers as well as expanding their employment opportunities. It follows that a person studying and able to perform in only one or two areas will be confined to opportunities in only those areas, whereas one who has experience in many areas opens more doors for employment.

While most of us have a desire to perform in a particular area of music - a symphony, ballet or opera orchestra, chamber music or Jazz group of some sort - the opportunities in those areas are usually limited, so one must be able to sustain himself with other work while waiting for those opportunities to present themselves. Would it not be better to continue to be active in other areas of music until an opportunity occurs in one’s preferred field rather than having to take employment in some other line of work? At least the player will be gaining experience as a performer, learning other kinds of music, continuing to master his instrument, and continually making contacts within the musical community in which he lives and works. These things will always be invaluable to him.

Networking is another extremely important element that musicians need to understand and apply. Networking begins the moment a young musician decides that music is his or her passion in life. From this point, each and every rehearsal, each and every performance is important; every one of these becomes an audition of sorts because one never knows who may be listening and observing.

But networking in the form of contact and communication with others is also extremely important - one of the strongest marketing tools in a musician’s or music educator’s portfolio. So, a musician and/or music educator should start in college - or before - to build a system or network of contacts.

Personal recommendation - word of mouth - will always be the strongest form of networking. As people recognize a musician’s skills, they tell others about him, and a reputation is established. He may be invited to join local groups - a regional orchestra or dance band or community concert band or chorus. If he proves to be a musician who can “do the job,” word passes quickly, and he is hired to perform with other organizations. The process continues as word spreads and his career begins to blossom. This is the process by which a musician establishes his career.

Contacts as they are made should, over time, be expanded to include not only friendships but, equally as important, working relationships. Maintaining and enhancing these contacts, together with the refining of one’s musical skills, may be the most important factors in achieving success in the field of music. From relationships established with peers - performing in college or university ensembles - may come recommendations from colleagues, from teachers, and from other members of the musical community.  It will be important to continually build upon these contacts throughout a musician’s career. These will prove especially valuable when a musician relocates from one place to another. He should not hesitate to be in contact with people who might be of help. No one makes it alone in this business and, while we each have to have the capability to “do the job,” we still have to have people to open doors and present opportunities for us. And sometimes the contacts made in the developmental period of our careers prove some day later to be the most valuable of all.

Present-day technology is undeniably helpful; the computer has become an indispensable tool in the process of networking. Though there are times when contact by telephone and mail might be more appropriate, e-mail is probably the most commonly used and accepted form of communication. It is an important and inexpensive resource for starting up and maintaining contact with others. Every young musician should begin compiling an address book of the many people with whom he will stay in contact, and this book should be expanded and kept current throughout his career.

Establishing a web site can also be an important tool, as it can exhibit a variety of one’s talents in a concisely packaged unit. There, a musician can display his bio, audio files of selected performances, his schedules, photos, and more - all of which can be downloaded for various purposes. Web sites have become today’s résumés for many performers.

Again - communicating with current contacts, as well as reaching out to new ones, is very important in expanding any musician’s network; a musician never knows from what source employment will come. Being in touch with others is going to be one of the most important things one can do to advance a career. This is what networking is all about!

While the formula for success varies with each musician, there are many tools that might be used to help in the development of his career. Many of these are discovered “along the way” as one experiences both music and life, learning what does or does not work for him. What works for some people doesn’t necessarily work for all. But the components that I have set out here are certainly among the most important ingredients for a successful career.