John Williams-Marty Paich

[bebopbob]

Just pulled a CD from the shelf called Marty Paich and His Jazz Piano Quartet Plays “Take Me Along” filled with a lot of throwaway tunes from a Broadway musical I never heard of,but somehow I acquired this CD awhile back. 

I noticed that among Marty, Pete Jolly and Jimmy Rowles, there’s a pianist identified as John Williams. Anyone know if this is the same John Williams of Boston Pops fame? If so, was he on any other jazz or quasi- jazz recordings? 

 

Thanks,

Bob

[medjuck]

He played with Benny Carter at one point.  IIRC He's the jazz piano player John Cassavetes  replaces on the piano bench  in the title sequence  to "Staccato" . It's confusing because there was another piano player named John Williams. 

[Larry Kart]

His jazz work was done for the most part under the named John Towner, his full name being John Towner Williams. See here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

The other John Williams, best-known for his work with Stan Getz in the mid-'50s, was a much more interesting player than the Mr. "Star Wars" (who probably worked in jazz early on as John Towner to avoid confusion with the other John Williams, who was then better known).

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

ITS PROBABLY STAR WARS JOHN WILLIAMS DOG, AS THEIR SONS ARE BOTH IN TOTO......JOSEPH WILLIAMS & DAVID PAICH!!!!!!!!

Edited February 10, 2018 by chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez

[riddlemay]

A desert island album (for me) is this one. Great West Coast big band jazz. Inspired by Mancini, no doubt, but its own thing. And more consistently great from beginning to end than Mancini's albums.

Edited February 11, 2018 by riddlemay

[sgcim]

On 2/10/2018 at 0:14 AM, Larry Kart said:

His jazz work was done for the most part under the named John Towner, his full name being John Towner Williams. See here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_discography

The other John Williams, best-known for his work with Stan Getz in the mid-'50s, was a much more interesting player than the Mr. "Star Wars" (who probably worked in jazz early on as John Towner to avoid confusion with the other John Williams, who was then better known).

Between hundreds of records by Star Wars Boy, and the classical guitarist, not to mention Johnny Williams the bass player, it's very difficult to do a search on the jazz pianist without having to wade through those other guys.

[Larry Kart]

3 hours ago, sgcim said:

Between hundreds of records by Star Wars Boy, and the classical guitarist, not to mention Johnny Williams the bass player, it's very difficult to do a search on the jazz pianist without having to wade through those other guys.

Here you go:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/320757-John-Williams-5?filter_anv=0&type=Credits

[sgcim]

2 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Here you go:

https://www.discogs.com/artist/320757-John-Williams-5?filter_anv=0&type=Credits

Thanks!

[Niko]

actually, that discography on discogs doesn't do a particularly good job at keeping John Thomas Williams and John Towner Williams apart...Luckily, there is a relatively clear cut-off year of 1958. Most of what's listed after that is a reissue or by John Towner Williams. There are some later recordings by the other John Williams such as this one

https://www.discogs.com/The-Lon-Norman-Sextet-Gold-Coast-Jazz/release/9659978

this

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-cts-session-spike-robinson-hep-records-review-by-samuel-chell.php

or this

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MYCJ-30061

(where the band is posing around a park named after JW in honor of his services as IIRC city commissioner)

[Larry Kart]

Sorry for the somewhat misleading J. Williams discog. I just glanced at the beginning of it, saw that it was on the right track so far, and assumed it would continue to be. In any case, it's better than nothing, and Williams was a individual talented player. 

BTW I've wondered though about stylistic resemblance between Williams and Horace Silver. He and Horace were born a year apart (Silver in 1928, Williams in 1929) and both grew up in in New England (Horace in Connecticut, Williams in Vermont) and worked in that area before heading to New York (Silver in 1951, Williams in 1949), with Silver joining Stan Getz in 1951 and Williams joining Getz in 1953. Seeing that Williams, as individual as he is, also shares some key traits with Silver (e.g those rumbling, boogie-woogie like at times, lower-register figures), did they know each other's music back in their NE salad days?

[brownie]

2 hours ago, Niko said:

actually, that discography on discogs doesn't do a particularly good job at keeping John Thomas Williams and John Towner Williams apart...Luckily, there is a relatively clear cut-off year of 1958. Most of what's listed after that is a reissue or by John Towner Williams. There are some later recordings by the other John Williams such as this one

https://www.discogs.com/The-Lon-Norman-Sextet-Gold-Coast-Jazz/release/9659978

this

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-cts-session-spike-robinson-hep-records-review-by-samuel-chell.php

or this

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MYCJ-30061

(where the band is posing around a park named after JW in honor of his services as IIRC city commissioner)

Niko,

Good of you to mention that 'Welcome Back' album, à very pleasant one! 

Been à fan of The Real John Williams since he was playing with Stan Getz more than 60 years ago. Got the CD when it came out and enjoyed it ever since.

I enjoy some of the works from the other John Williams but I really groove on whatever I can get from The Real One.

[sgcim]

4 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Sorry for the somewhat misleading J. Williams discog. I just glanced at the beginning of it, saw that it was on the right track so far, and assumed it would continue to be. In any case, it's better than nothing, and Williams was a individual talented player. 

BTW I've wondered though about stylistic resemblance between Williams and Horace Silver. He and Horace were born a year apart (Silver in 1928, Williams in 1929) and both grew up in in New England (Horace in Connecticut, Williams in Vermont) and worked in that area before heading to New York (Silver in 1951, Williams in 1949), with Silver joining Stan Getz in 1951 and Williams joining Getz in 1953. Seeing that Williams, as individual as he is, also shares some key traits with Silver (e.g those rumbling, boogie-woogie like at times, lower-register figures), did they know each other's music back in their NE salad days?

Eddie Costa seemed to have listened to him. I have the Sal Salvador Quintet/Quartets CD on Blue Note, and both Costa and 'Johnny' Williams play piano on it. 

On 'Get Happy' Williams comes up with a low, rumbling drone in the lower register that I could've sworn was Costa's. Costa's got a great thing on Get Happy where he plays it fast with those low octaves and best of all, in the parallel minor key!