Recorded July 9-10, 2003, at Yoshi?s at Jack London Square ? one of the world?s finest jazz clubs - Live At Yoshi?s (Volume Two) offers an exquisite set of music. Williams? long-running trio of Ray Drummond on bass and Vi... more »ctor Lewis on drums brings the music to a high level. Williams opens the CD with an entrancing intro on "Flamenco Sketches" by Miles Davis. She picks up the pace on "Why Do I Love You" by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern. The trio gently sways on "Spoken Softly" the first original offering by Williams that she dedicates to her friend and teacher, the late Tony Williams. The upbeat and swinging original, "Elbow Room," follows and displays the cohesiveness of the trio. She dedicates this composition to John Coltrane, who she regards as her "musical light." The pace slows again for "Soldaji," a thoughtfully expressive original composition that she dedicates to her dear, recently departed Watson, who was an "Ancient Wise One" in a Scottish Terrier's body. The trio swings with great energy on the standard "Paul?s Pal" by Sonny Rollins. Williams then offers another slow, intimate opening solo, this time to begin her final original composition "Dear Gaylord," which she dedicates to musician and collaborator Gaylord Birch. The trio picks it up with a playful rendition of "Lulu?s Back In Town," by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. Williams closes the set with a beautiful version of the classic "Summertime."« less
Recorded July 9-10, 2003, at Yoshi?s at Jack London Square ? one of the world?s finest jazz clubs - Live At Yoshi?s (Volume Two) offers an exquisite set of music. Williams? long-running trio of Ray Drummond on bass and Victor Lewis on drums brings the music to a high level. Williams opens the CD with an entrancing intro on "Flamenco Sketches" by Miles Davis. She picks up the pace on "Why Do I Love You" by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern. The trio gently sways on "Spoken Softly" the first original offering by Williams that she dedicates to her friend and teacher, the late Tony Williams. The upbeat and swinging original, "Elbow Room," follows and displays the cohesiveness of the trio. She dedicates this composition to John Coltrane, who she regards as her "musical light." The pace slows again for "Soldaji," a thoughtfully expressive original composition that she dedicates to her dear, recently departed Watson, who was an "Ancient Wise One" in a Scottish Terrier's body. The trio swings with great energy on the standard "Paul?s Pal" by Sonny Rollins. Williams then offers another slow, intimate opening solo, this time to begin her final original composition "Dear Gaylord," which she dedicates to musician and collaborator Gaylord Birch. The trio picks it up with a playful rendition of "Lulu?s Back In Town," by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. Williams closes the set with a beautiful version of the classic "Summertime."
"I've been listening to Jessica Williams since the early 90's and she just keeps getting better. It's a shame that jazz is not appreciated as much as other forms of music. And within the jazz idiom a person like Jessica Williams has a hard time getting noticed by the general public. But those in the know have known for quite some time that Ms. Williams is truly a sensational talent. Nobody today combines the breadth of jazz pianist styles within their repertoire while having their own unique voice. She is flat out my favorite jazz pianist today.
Jessica Williams is a national treasure and Live at Yoshi's V2 is worth the price at $100!
"
Piano Trio---Just Right!
Marty Nickison II | Austintown, OH | 06/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ok, let's name some piano masters: Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Erroll Garner, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Peterson.
Of the many pianists I've heard, she's evenly infused all thier styles into her own and it doesn't push too much to one side--creating a new style to the novice and a homage to the advanced.
I've been into MAXJAZZ since Russell Malone joined. After listening to Eric Reed's "Here", I decided to try Jessica (ok, who could mess up Flamenco Sketches [aka Some Other Time]??).
I heard her version.....I bought it! For the last few days, this has been my car riding music. In The Secret---you are to stay in a good mood. This cd picks me up everytime!!
As a Bill Evans fan (huge), I particularly like the ballads Flamenco Sketches, Spoken Softly, Soldaji, and Dear Gaylord. In her ballad style, she captures a framework harmony of Bill Evans with a melodic style invoking Keith Jarrett (Standard Trio without 'humming') and Oscar Peterson.
In her fast tunes, she sounds like a modern Oscar Peterson-Erroll Garner hyrbid with elements of Thelonious Monk.
Overall, this is a piano trio outing---just right!
Whom is this? Don't know much about her--but it's about the music."
Made me stop and listen
'satiably curious | Detroit, MI USA | 01/09/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All I can say is this: I rarely interrupt my workouts for anything, but I heard a cut on WDET-FM and stopped running to write down this album's title. I ordered this one, then some others and finally went to her website and downloaded a bunch of sheet music. I find it ironic that Jessica and Mary Lou Williams coincidentally share a name. I believe that both deserve much wider recognition."
Gorgeous
Bayan Salmanpour | Springfield Gardens, NY United States | 02/10/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a gorgeous CD. My very first Jessica Williams CD, and what a CD. I am gonna listen to the rest of her stuff.I don't know if she is not well known enough, but she sure deserves to be on the strength of this CD alone."
Great Music By an Underrated Musician
Buddy Bolden | USA | 06/18/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Jessica Williams is a phenomenally gifted pianist who combines great technical proficiency with profound musicality. By turns dramatic, lyrical, and meditative, her playing contains echoes of such predecessors as Waller, Garner, Garland, Monk, and Evans (to name just a few), yet her sound is distinctively her own and decidedly fresh and modern. As an improviser she is boundlessly creative and never seems less than fully engaged and "in the moment"; not only does she seem to be able to play anything that occurs to her, but what occurs to her is always interesting and often arrestingly beautiful. The two volumes of "Live at Yoshi's" present her at her best, and in the company of collaborators whose playing complements hers very effectively. The song selection strikes a nice balance, with a good mix of standards, works by other jazz musicians, and Williams's own lovely and inventive compositions. The sound is also exceptionally good; while the piano is perhaps a shade brighter than would be ideal, the recording captures the subtleties and nuances of the performances with great clarity and detail."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
