C.I. Williams

Based in NY but originally through the Midwest, C.We. Williams is certainly a gifted however underexposed alto saxophonist who’s comfy in both golf swing and bop configurations. Williams’ very appealing tone owes too much to Johnny Hodges; nevertheless, he in addition has been greatly inspired by Benny Carter as well as the seminal Charlie “Parrot” Parker. Williams was raised in the St. Louis region, where he performed in various regional rings in the ’40s and ’50s; the veteran saxman shifted to NY in the past due ’50s and continues to be based there since. On the way, Williams provides toured with some musical heavyweights — including Clark Terry, Frank Foster, and vocalist Ruth Dark brown — but regrettably, Williams did very little documenting as a head. In the first ’70s, he documented several little-known LPs for the Mainstream label; non-e of these received much interest and most of them went of print. From then on, Williams didn’t perform any more documenting as a head until 1995. The individual who was in charge of his longer overdue go back to the studio room was experienced baritone saxophonist Hamiett Bluiett, who was simply a huge admirer of Williams’ playing because the early ’50s (when he noticed him executing at a dance in Alton, IL). Bluiett sensed it was legal that somebody as talented as Williams hadn’t recorded an record in 25 years, and he were able to convince Mapleshade (a little label located in Top Marlboro, MD) that launching a Williams Compact disc will be a good notion. In 1995 and 1996, Bluiett created When Alto Was Ruler, Williams’ first discharge because the early ’70s. Bluiett selected a number of the sidemen for your Compact disc, including acoustic bassist Keter Betts and drummer Jimmy Cobb; Larry Willis, that has performed on a whole lot of Mapleshade produces, handled a lot of the piano solos. Mapleshade released When Alto Was Ruler in August 1997.