Music for the Soul
Donald Macleod's survey of Mary Lou Williams sees her establish a charitable refuge for addicted musicians and starting to write religiously inspired jazz.
Donald Macleod's survey of Mary Lou Williams sees her establish a charitable refuge for jazz musicians who were struggling with addictions and turning her mind to a new direction, writing religiously inspired jazz.
Mary Lou Williamsβs music stands out from the crowd because, as Duke Ellington recognised, βher writing and performing have always been just a little ahead throughout her career.β A prolific composer and arranger, she was also a gifted pianist. A master of blues, boogie woogie, stride, swing and be-bop, Williams was quick to absorb the prevailing musical currents in her own music, naturally able to exploit her ability to play anything she heard around her. It is this restless musical curiosity that defines her own compositions, and led her to become friends with and mentor many younger musicians, among them Thelonius Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Born around 1910 in Atlanta, Georgia, Williams grew up in Pittsburgh, where she had to overcome racial segregation, gender discrimination and the disadvantages of an impoverished family to realise her musical ambitions. Learning to play entirely by ear, she was performing locally by age six. Barely into her teens, she was touring professionally as a pianist, living proof that - contrary to the prevailing views - women really could play jazz as well as men. But her artistic success came at some personal cost, with instances of domestic abuse, two divorces, a gambling addiction, and the ongoing strain of trying to support her extended family, all taking its toll over the years. After taking a spiritual path, she spent some years trying to rehabilitate addicted musicians, and developed an interest in writing sacred jazz pieces, and after a long career of some 60 years she took on the mantle of educating future generations about the cultural roots of jazz.
Over the course of the week, Donald Macleod follows Mary Lou Williams as her life and musical pathways intertwine, from the early years playing Kansas City swing, to embracing be-bop, religion and modern jazz.
The 1950s were difficult years for Mary Lou Williams. Work was hard to come by in New York so she looked to Europe for bookings. During an extended sojourn in Paris, she experienced a major spiritual crisis, which was to have lasting consequences.
Tisherome
Mary Lou Williams Trio
Mary Lou Williams piano;
Billy Taylor, bass
Willie Guerra, bongos
New Musical Express
Mary Lou Williams Quartet
Don Byas, tenor saxophone
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Alvin Banks, bass
Gerard βDaveβ Pochonet, Drums
ML Williams, AS Woods: Hymn to St. Martin de Porres
The Ray Charles Singers
Howard Roberts, conductor
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Gloria (Mary Lou's Mass excerpt)
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Buster Williams, bass
Mickey Roker, drums
ML Williams, Ada Moore: The Devil
The Ray Charles Singers
Howard Roberts, conductor
Mary Lou Williams, piano
O.W.
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Chris White, bass
Sonny Henry, guitar
David Parker, drums
Abdul Rahman, congas
Roger Glenn, flute
James Bailey, Milton Grayson, Carl Hall, vocals
Mary Louβs Mass (excerpts)
ML Williams, Sonny Henry: Lazarus
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Carline Ray, bass & vocals
Leon Atkinson, guitar
Credo
Mary Lou Williams piano
Carline Ray bass & vocal
Leon Atkinson, guitar
Al Harewood drums
David Amram, French horn
Eileen Gilbert, Randy Peyton, Christine Spencer, vocals
Credo (Instrumental)
ML Williams piano
Carline Ray bass
Sonny Henry guitar
David Parker drums & tambourine
Abdul Rahman, congas
Zodiac Suite (excerpt) - Virgo, Libra, Aries
Mary Lou Williams, piano
Dizzy Gillespie and his band
Last on
Music Played
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Mary Lou Williams Trio
Tisherome
- Classics 1346.
- Classics 1346.
- 4.
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Mary Lou Williams Quartet & Don Byas
New Musical Express
- Solid Jazz SJR 366635.
- Solid Jazz SJR 366635.
- 1.
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The Ray Charles Singers & Howard Roberts
Hymn to St. Martin De Porres
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40816.
- Smithsonian.
- 1.
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Mary Lou Williams
Gloria
- Steeplechase SCCD 31043.
- Steeplechase.
- 12.
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Mary Lou Williams
The Devil
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40816.
- Smithsonian.
- 3.
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Mary Lou Williams
Pittsburgh Mass: O.W.
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40815.
- Smithsonian.
- 2.
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Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou's Mass: Lazarus
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40815.
- Smithsonian.
- 11.
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Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou's Mass: Credo
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40815.
- Smithsonian.
- 13.
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Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou's Mass: Credo (Instrumental)
- Smithsonian SFW CD 40815.
- Smithsonian.
- 13.
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Mary Lou Williams
Zodiac Suite (excerpt)
Broadcasts
- Thu 21 Nov 2019 12:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- Thu 27 May 2021 12:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
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