User:Will Schetelich/sandbox

= Bruce Williams =

Intro
Alto and soprano saxophonist, composer, and educator Bruce Kevin Williams (Bruce Williams) was born on June 11, 1969, in Washington, D.C., at the Columbia Hospital for Women and grew up in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, located in Northwest D.C., and in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Upbringing
While still very young, Bruce was surrounded by a family-like community and lived with his mother, Kathleen Poindexter-Williams, and had to see his father, Kenneth Lee Ferrell, during the weekends in Southeast D.C. due to their separation at the time. He would also visit his three older half-brothers Michael, Greg, and Anthony Ferrell during the weekends. Williams always had a rich-community upbringing, with the help of neighbors on the block and close family. Being born not long after the Dr. King riots, Bruce caught some of the dilapidated and burned buildings, which weren’t rebuilt until years later during the 70s and 80s.

Early musical training
Besides having a family that would mostly sing, his youngest older brother, Anthony Ferrell, plays tenor saxophone and his aunt on his father’s side, Anna Mae, was the first person to show him how to play the piano. Williams would also start his journey as an active music listener from his older brother Michael, who had an immense record collection and exposed him to R&B, Funk, Ramsey Lewis, Jimmy McGriff, and Sergio Mendes for the first time. Rhythm, music, and dancing were always around in the house and all these elements would shape his later musical path. In the fourth grade at Rock Creek Forest Elementary, just across the D.C. line, a young Williams was offered to start off his woodwind journey with the clarinet, but had to decline due to his strong interest in the saxophone. Several music appreciation and general music classes intensified his interest in music. Bruce picked up the saxophone while at Westland Middle School in seventh grade, after being introduced to music theory during choir class the year prior. His first saxophone instructor was band director Mr. Black, who introduced him to the fundamentals of the instrument as well as understanding Williams’ personal needs as a human being, which really helped his development later on. Bruce attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and his band director was David Levin. Mr. Levin was instrumental in growing Bruce’s musicianship and ensemble playing. Bruce only took a few private lessons before he got into college. These lessons were from Larry Mullins and Howard Burns. Mr. Burns met Bruce as a student in the MCPS All-County Jazz Band, under the direction of Ron Kearns. Mr. Burns was a saxophonist that introduced Williams to Charlie Parker.

College years
Bruce attended the University of the District of Columbia, under the direction of Calvin Jones. He was offered a full scholarship. At UDC, Williams' private instructor was Frank Foster’s lead alto saxophonist at the time, Dr. Leroy Barton Jr. Bruce also took private improvisation lessons with fabled trumpeter Webster Young. Mr. Young had a long relationship with Bruce’s hero, Jackie McLean. After a couple of years and some family tragedies, Bruce decided to move from D.C. to New Jersey and transfer to William Paterson College. There he studied with Rufus Reid, Harold Mabern, Norman Simmons, Andy Fusco, Steve Wilson, Joe Lovano, and Gary Smulyan.

Frank Foster
Bruce met the great Frank Foster while playing with the vocalist Tes Marsalis. He later became Foster's lead alto player, a position that was formerly held by his teacher Leroy Barton Jr. Foster quickly hired Williams as his lead alto player from 1996 until 2011, when Foster passed away. With Mr. Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band, Bruce toured the world playing festivals and several jazz cruises. “Fos” became a musical father figure to Williams and would teach him life-lasting lessons by example.

Jackie McLean
Bruce and a couple of his friends took advantage of a spring break while attending UDC and went to Hartford, CT to visit jazz alto saxophone master, Jackie McLean. After successfully auditioning at McLean’s house, Bruce decided not to go to the Hart School and formally study with J. Mack because of family issues. He remained in close contact with Jackie, who would consider Bruce one of his kids and a “student abroad.” McLean would show up to Bruce’s gigs in Hartford and vice versa, creating not only a good relationship between the two of them but also an opportunity for informal lessons on the spot.

Stanley Cowell
One of the most meaningful relationships Williams had was with pianist/composer Stanley Cowell. He met Cowell at 19 and started playing professionally together at age 22. They first met at UDC when the master pianist was doing a masterclass on Art Tatum. Later on, Stanley came to Bruce’s ensemble at WPC and after doing a school performance, Bruce talked to him about working together. They recorded three albums of Cowell’s together and have played numerous times around the globe. Mr. Cowell and his wife Sylvia were a constant source of inspiration, love, and mentorship to Bruce.

Cecil Brooks III
Cecil Brooks III has been one of Bruce’s most important mentors, especially since he was the one who started his recording career as a leader, encouraging a young Williams to put a band together and hit the recording studio doing his own material. Cecil and Bruce have shared many memories performing, touring, and recording together. You can listen to some of their work together on Brooks’ record “For Those Who Love to Groove” (Savant Records, 1999).

Teaching
Bruce has always been happy to share and give back and has been giving private lessons to hard-working students since age 16. Williams has taught privately in the D.C. and New Jersey areas, and for NJPAC Jazz for Teens, Jazz House Kids, Princeton University, Stevens School in Hoboken, Bloomfield College, and Bard College. He currently teaches at The Juilliard School and Montclair State University.

Notable Former Students
Some of his former notable students are Lakecia Benjamin, Irwin Hall, Jason Marshall, Tia Fuller, Camille Thurman, Anthony Nelson, Marcus Miller, Julius Tolentino, Ian Munoz, Abdias Armenteros, Birsa Chatterjee, Alex De Lazzari, Rodrigo Romero, Sarah Hanahan, Chris Louis, Julian Lee, and Immanuel Wilkins to name a few.

Personal Life
While still at UDC, Bruce met Howard University student Leonora Rush in 1989. Leonora had a big poster of Billie Holiday in her room and has always been really into jazz, which quickly captivated a 20-year-old Williams. After dating each other for 6 years, they got married at City Hall in New York City in 1996. They have two children, Elijah and Sage. The Williams family resides in Montclair, New Jersey.

Big Solid
While playing with the Roy Hargrove Quintet, bassist Gerald Cannon bumped into Bruce, to which Cannon said, “You Big Solid mfr!” After that, his nickname became Big Solid.

Primary Saxophone Influences
Jackie McLean, Cannonball Adderley, Gary Bartz, Joe Ford, Steve Wilson, Joe Lovano, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, Hank Crawford, Kenny Garrett, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Wayne Shorter, Sidney Bechet, Greg Osby.

Experience
Throughout more than 30 years of a successful artistic career, Bruce has taken part in the following projects, among many others.

Big Band

 * Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band
 * Roy Hargrove Big Band
 * Oliver Lake Big Band
 * Count Basie Big Band
 * Charles Tolliver Big Band
 * Lionel Hampton Big Band
 * Tes Marsalis’ Big Band
 * Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
 * Duke Ellington Jazz Orchestra
 * McCoy Tyner Big Band
 * Josh Evans Big Band
 * Papo Vásquez Pirates Troubadours Big Band
 * Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force Big Band
 * Ulysses Owens Big Band

Small Ensemble

 * World Saxophone Quartet
 * Stanley Cowell Quartet and Quintet
 * Buster Williams and Something More
 * Roy Hargrove’s RH Factor and Quintet and Crisol Band
 * Wayne Eubanks Quintet
 * Ted Chubb Quintet
 * Cecil Brooks III and the CBIII Band
 * Russell Gunn’s Ethnomusicology
 * Jimmy McGriff
 * Brad Jones
 * Josh Evans

Singers

 * Little Jimmy Scott
 * Charenee Wade
 * Vanessa Rubin
 * Jazzmeia Horn
 * Lynette Washington

Festivals

 * Newark Jazz Festival
 * Montclair Jazz Festival
 * Jersey City Jazz Festival
 * D.C. Jazz Festival
 * Toronto Jazz Festival
 * Monterey Jazz Festival
 * Newport Jazz Festival
 * Pori Jazz Festival (Finland)
 * North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands)
 * Perugia Jazz Festival (Italy)
 * Jazz en Téte Festival (France)
 * Paris Jazz Festival (France)
 * Bahrain Jazz Festival (Bahrain)
 * Red Sea Jazz Festival (Israel)
 * Mount Fuji Jazz Festival (Japan)
 * Madarao Jazz Festival (Japan)

As a Leader

 * Brotherhood (1997, Savant)
 * Altoicity (2000, Savant)
 * More to Go (2006, Brushwood)
 * Private Thoughts (2016, Passin’ Thru)

Recordings in Sideman Sessions

 * Stanley Cowell - Hear Me One (1996, SteepleChase)
 * Cecil Brooks III - For Those Who Love to Groove (1999, Savant)
 * Russell Gunn - Ethnomusicology Vol. 1 (1999, Atlantic)
 * Russell Gunn - Smokin’ Gunn (2000, HighNote)
 * Oliver Lake - Cloth (2003, Passin’ Thru)
 * World Saxophone Quartet - Experience (2004, Justin Time)
 * Charles Tolliver - Emperor March: Live at the Blue Note (2009, Half Note)
 * Roy Hargrove Big Band - Emergence (2009, Universal/Emarcy)
 * Brad Jones - Avant Lounge (2012)
 * Steve Turre - Spiritman (2015, Smoke Sessions)
 * Josh Evans - Hope and Despair (2015, Passin’ Thru)
 * Stanley Cowell - No Illusions (2017, SteepleChase)
 * Vanessa Rubin - The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron (2019, Nibur)
 * Jazzmeia Horn - Dear Love with Her Noble Force (2021, Empress Legacy)
 * Buster Williams - Unalome (2023, Smoke Sessions)
 * Papo Vásquez - Mighty Pirates Troubadours: Songs Del Yucayeke (2024, Picaro)