Steve Williamson
Encyclopedia
Steve Williamson is an English
saxophonist and composer.(tenor saxophone
, soprano saxophone
, alto saxophone
, keyboard
and composition
).
Steve Williamson began playing saxophone at the age of 16 and started his career playing in Reggae
bands (Misty n' Roots). In 1984 and 1985 he studied at London's Guildhall School of Music. At the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday
open air festival in 1988 he played alongside Courtney Pine
in Wembley Stadium
and afterwards was a constant presence at Ronnie Scott
's. He was member of Louis Moholo
's Viva La Black (1988) and of Chris McGregor
's Brotherhood of Breath (1990). During the 1990s he led his own band and appeared in projects of Iain Ballamy
, Maceo Parker
, Bheki Mseleku
, US3
, and Graham Haynes
.
In 1990 he released his first album A Waltz for Grace
with Verve, featuring vocalist Abbey Lincoln
. In 1992 Williamson he released his second album Rhyme Time , followed by Journey to Truth in 1994, featuring Cassandra Wilson
.
Steve Williamson's career is based on the constant study of harmony and research of the all possible harmonic approaches to compositions. His musical knowledege, from the studies on Western African music to the deconstruction of Debussy's harmony, is wide and gives Williamson the opportunity to experiment with his music, creating always innovative and unique compositions.
His incredible talent as a saxophone player and his vivid originality as a composer make Steve Williamson one of the most versatile and unique "made in UK" performer.
As Sideman
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
saxophonist and composer.(tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, soprano saxophone
Soprano saxophone
The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
).
Steve Williamson began playing saxophone at the age of 16 and started his career playing in Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
bands (Misty n' Roots). In 1984 and 1985 he studied at London's Guildhall School of Music. At the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular-music concert staged on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. It was also referred to as Freedomfest, Free Nelson Mandela Concert and Mandela Day...
open air festival in 1988 he played alongside Courtney Pine
Courtney Pine
Courtney Pine CBE is an English jazz musician. At school he studied the clarinet, although he is known primarily for his saxophone playing. Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also playing the flute, clarinet, bass Clarinet and keyboards...
in Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
and afterwards was a constant presence at Ronnie Scott
Ronnie Scott
Ronnie Scott was an English jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner.-Life and career:Ronnie Scott was born in Aldgate, east London, into a family of Russian Jewish descent on his father's side, and Portuguese antecedents on his mother's. Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of...
's. He was member of Louis Moholo
Louis Moholo
Louis Tebugo Moholo , is a South African jazz drummer.He formed The Blue Notes with Chris McGregor, Johnny Dyani, Nikele Moyake, Mongezi Feza and Dudu Pukwana, and emigrated to Europe with them in 1964, eventually settling in London, where he formed part of a South African exile community that made...
's Viva La Black (1988) and of Chris McGregor
Chris McGregor
Christopher McGregor , was a South African jazz pianist, bandleader and composer born in Somerset West, South Africa.- Early influences :...
's Brotherhood of Breath (1990). During the 1990s he led his own band and appeared in projects of Iain Ballamy
Iain Ballamy
Iain Ballamy is a British composer, soprano, alto and tenor saxophone player.- Career :Ballamy was schooled at 1975-80 George Abbot School, Guildford. He then studied Musical Instrument Technology from 1980-1982 Merton College...
, Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
, Bheki Mseleku
Bheki Mseleku
Bhekumuzi Hyacinth Mseleku, generally known as Bheki Mseleku was a jazz musician from South Africa. He was a pianist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer and arranger who was entirely self taught....
, US3
US3
Us3 is a jazz-rap group founded in London in 1991. Their name was inspired by a Horace Parlan recording produced by Alfred Lion, the founder of Blue Note Records. On their debut album, Hand on the Torch, Us3 used samples from the Blue Note Records catalogue, all originally produced by...
, and Graham Haynes
Graham Haynes
Graham Haynes is an American cornetist, trumpeter and composer, the son of jazz drummer Roy Haynes....
.
In 1990 he released his first album A Waltz for Grace
A Waltz for Grace
A Waltz for Grace is the debut album by English saxophonist Steve Williamson that was released on the Verve label in 1990.The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awards the album 3 stars and states "At 25, Williamson displayed an original tenor sound and, although some of his soloing is in the Greg...
with Verve, featuring vocalist Abbey Lincoln
Abbey Lincoln
Anna Marie Wooldridge , better known by her stage name Abbey Lincoln, was a jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. Lincoln was unusual in that she wrote and performed her own compositions, expanding the expectations of jazz audiences.-Biography:Born in Chicago, Illinois, she was one of many...
. In 1992 Williamson he released his second album Rhyme Time , followed by Journey to Truth in 1994, featuring Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
.
Steve Williamson's career is based on the constant study of harmony and research of the all possible harmonic approaches to compositions. His musical knowledege, from the studies on Western African music to the deconstruction of Debussy's harmony, is wide and gives Williamson the opportunity to experiment with his music, creating always innovative and unique compositions.
His incredible talent as a saxophone player and his vivid originality as a composer make Steve Williamson one of the most versatile and unique "made in UK" performer.
Discography
As Leader- A Waltz for GraceA Waltz for GraceA Waltz for Grace is the debut album by English saxophonist Steve Williamson that was released on the Verve label in 1990.The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awards the album 3 stars and states "At 25, Williamson displayed an original tenor sound and, although some of his soloing is in the Greg...
(1990, with Abbey LincolnAbbey LincolnAnna Marie Wooldridge , better known by her stage name Abbey Lincoln, was a jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. Lincoln was unusual in that she wrote and performed her own compositions, expanding the expectations of jazz audiences.-Biography:Born in Chicago, Illinois, she was one of many...
) - Rhyme Time (1992, with Cassandra WilsonCassandra WilsonCassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
) - Journey To Truth (1994)
As Sideman
- Jazz WarriorsJazz WarriorsThe Jazz Warriors were an all-black London-based group of jazz musicians that made their debut in 1986. The idea for the band came from the Abibi Jazz Arts - a London organization that promoted black music and black culture - in 1985...
, Out of Many, One People (1987)
Source
- Martin Kunzler, Jazz-Lexikon, vol. 2. 2002. ISBN 3-499-16513-9