Double Bass Tommy Williams

[mdcbass]

I was just introduced to this wonderful bassist though this record

This Wikipedia result has some interesting quotes Tommy Williams (musician) - Wikipedia

 

[Francois Blais]

Thanks, I didn’t the guy.
Interesting reading!

 

[msw]

Tommy Williams is undoubtably one of the most underrated and under appreciated musicians of all time. Any Jazztet recording or Art Farmer recording he was on revealed his great sound, great time and excellent melodic solos. I was told he stopped playing at some point in the 1960’s and worked the rest of his life at Sears in the tool department on Long Island.

 

[Sam Sherry]

I was told he stopped playing at some point in the 1960’s and worked the rest of his life at Sears in the tool department on Long Island.

Deep sigh.

Guy must have really loved his family.

 

[msw]

That is true. I was told he wasn’t comfortable with the music business and I read he was mugged once coming home from a gig in the early morning.
It’s worth finding Art Farmer’s recording of SO BEATS MY HEART. Tommy Williams sounds unbelievable on it!

 

[Michael Glynn]

The Art Farmer recordings "Art" (in the Youtube link above) and "Perception" both feature a whole lot of Tommy Williams. I've talked to a few of the guys on those records about Tommy and they all raved about him. They repeated what Golson said about how horn players never wanted to solo after him because he could make them sound bad. One guy compared him favorably to Sam Jones as a bassist, which to my mind is about as high of praise as there is.

 

[garrett2]

Just put on Art this morning and the bass tone and feel on "So Beats My Heart" dropped my jaw.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Glad this got bumped - really enjoying this.

 

[Edzer]

There's a great piece written about Tommy Williams here: Unsung Bassists, Part Two - Steve Wallace

 

[chilensko]

Great post!!! I’m always learning from you guys…..

 

[TroyK]

I have "Art" and it had that impression on me too.

But, I stumbled onto a clean original LP of The Jazztet "Big City Sounds" today and yowza, he had it. Sound, rhythm, phrasing, ideas. Really nice player.