Irv Williams
Irv Williams | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Irvin Williams |
| Born | August 17, 1919 |
| Died | December 14, 2019 (aged 100) Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Years active | 1925–2019 |
Irvin Williams (August 17, 1919 – December 14, 2019)[1][2] was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Throughout his nine-decade career, Williams focused on the Great American Songbook and the tenor sax as a solo vehicle.
Musical history
His first instrument was the violin before switching to the clarinet and then to the tenor saxophone.[3]
In 1942 Williams moved to
Since his 84th birthday, Williams came up with a stream of releases: That’s All (2004), Dedicated to You (2005), followed by one of his most acclaimed, Duo (2006) with piano partner Peter Schimke, and Finality (2008). In 2011, Williams recorded Duke's Mixture, a quintet with Peter Schimke, Steve Blons, Billy Peterson and Jay Epstein; the set list includes five original compositions from Williams and his vocal debut on "Until the Real Thing Comes Along", together with two Irving Berlin standards and a pair of blues tunes.
Irv Williams had a regular weekly gig at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis.[4]
Personal life
Williams had nine children from two marriages.[3]
Honors and awards
- 1984 – First jazz musician to be honored by the State of Minnesota with his own "Irv Williams Day".
- 1990 – Picture appeared on the "Celebrate Minnesota" official state map
- 1995 – Named an Arts Midwest Jazz Master
- 2005 – At the KBEM Winter Jazz Festival, Irv was one of three recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards.[5]
- 2010 – Appeared on the cover of Saint Paul Almanac[6]
- Inducted into the Minnesota Jazz Hall of Fame
- His former saxophone has been integrated into the "Minnesota’s Greatest Generation" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center
Discography
- Keep the Music Playing (1994)
- Peace, with Strings (1996)
- STOP Look and Listen (2000)
- Encore (2001)
- That’s All (2004)
- Dedicated To You CD (2005)
- Duo - Irv Williams and Peter Schimke (2006)
- Finality (2008)
- Duke’s Mixture (2011)
- Then Was Then, Now Is Now (2014)
- Pinnacle - Irv Williams Trio (2015) [7]
Filmography
- 2012 – featured in Arts and the Mind, a documentary on PBS[8]
- 2012 – The Funkytown Movie, music documentary by Megabien Entertainment[9]
References
- ^ Bream, Jon (December 15, 2019). "Jazz saxophonist Irv Williams, who chose family over stardom, dies at 100". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- ^ "Irv Williams". Discogs. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Irv Williams: A Life in Music". Saint Paul Almanac. 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ Bream, Jon (August 10, 2015). "Irv Williams blows his horn and 96 birthday candles at the Dakota". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
- ^ Canter, Andrea (May 9, 2012). "Irv Williams Annual Retirement Party at the Dakota". Jazz Police. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Book Media Kit | Saint Paul Almanac". Saint Paul Almanac. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ^ "Release of PINNACLE by Irv Williams Trio". Megabien Entertainment. 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ^ "KAIROS dancing heart featured in new PBS Documentary, "Arts & The Mind"". Insight News. September 5, 2012. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ^ "The Funkytown Movie, music documentary (2012)". Megabien Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
External links
- Jazz legend Irv Williams at MPRnews
- Irv Williams on SPNN's Doc U program
- Irv Williams: A Life in Music
- Irv Williams Discography at artists.MTV
- Irv Williams discography at Discogs
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