Tommy Williams (musician)

Tommy Williams was an American jazz double bassist. He played with Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Stan Getz[1][2] and others before he stopped playing in the 1960s. His last recording from that period was in 1965.[3] He returned to playing years later, but, according to Golson, "died before he could reestablish himself."[3] He played in the Jazztet, where, Golson reported, "I hated to follow [Williams'] bass solos [...] because he could put horn players to shame."[3] He also played alto saxophone, piano, and vibraphone, but, according to pianist Ronnie Matthews, "Bass is what everybody wanted him for because that was the thing that would make your hair stand on end when you heard him play it."[4] In February 1965 Williams played in the Quincy Jones orchestra for the soundtrack to the film The Pawnbroker.[5]

Accounts of why he left music vary. Golson reported that Williams worked in a hardware store after his wife forced him to stop playing;[3] pianist Ronnie Matthews suggested that "he was the kind of person who for whatever reason could never deal with the bullshit business part of the music business. [...] one morning when he was coming home from work with his bass, he got mugged. He just stopped playing and went to work for Sears Roebuck."[4]

Williams latterly lived in Dean Street, Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Audrey.[6]

Discography

As sideman
Year recorded Leader Title Label
1958 Gene Rodgers Introducing the Gene Rodgers Trio Mercury
1959 Carmen McRae Something to Swing About Kapp
1959 Billy Taylor Billy Taylor with Four Flutes Riverside
1960 Art Farmer Art Argo
1960 The Jazztet Big City Sounds Argo
1960 Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson The Great Kai & J. J. Impulse!
1960–61 The Jazztet The Jazztet and John Lewis Argo
1960–61 Benny Golson Take a Number from 1 to 10 Argo
1960–61 Blue Mitchell Smooth as the Wind Riverside
1961 Art Farmer Perception Argo
1960 The Jazztet The Jazztet at Birdhouse Argo
1962 Stan Getz Big Band Bossa Nova Verve
1963 Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfá Jazz Samba Encore! Verve
1965 Quincy Jones The Pawnbroker [soundtrack] Mercury

References
  1. Bruguiere, Ron (2011) "Collision: When Reality and Illusion Collide". p. 35. Author House.
  2. Wilson, John S. (November 28, 1963) "Concert Is Given by Basie and Getz". The New York Times. p. 92.
  3. Blumenthal, Bob (2004) In The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions [CD liner notes]. p. 5. Mosaic.
  4. Matthews, Paul B. (1995) "Ronnie Matthews". Cadence, 21, p. 21.
  5. Berrett, Joshua, and Bourgois III, Louis G. "The Musical World of J.J. Johnson". p. 382. Scarecrow Press.
  6. Wilson, Michael (April 24, 2007) "Seeking Landmark Status, and Hoping to Lose a Label of Unrest". The New York Times.
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