Jay McShann en Claude Williams

[Durium]

JAY McSHANN - CLAUDE WILLIAMS

Jay McShann and Claude Williams: Two veteran Kansas Ciy jazz musicians, that passed away, at a ripe age, some years ago.

Jay McShann-Claude Williams: The Men From Muskogee

Keep swinging

Durium

[paul secor]

Claude Williams was a wonderful musician. I heard him when he was in his late 80's - not playing guitar anymore, only violin (or fiddle, as he referred to it), and how he played! When he hit the stand, it was as if he were thirty years younger.

Only heard him play live once, but I'll remember it for as long as I'm around.

Incidentally, Claude Williams' manager also managed Benny Waters at that time. Mr. Waters was then in his 90's.

[kh1958]

Claude Williams was a wonderful musician. I heard him when he was in his late 80's - not playing guitar anymore, only violin (or fiddle, as he referred to it), and how he played! When he hit the stand, it was as if he were thirty years younger.

Only heard him play live once, but I'll remember it for as long as I'm around.

Incidentally, Claude Williams' manager also managed Benny Waters at that time. Mr. Waters was then in his 90's.

I saw Benny Waters once at Sweet Basil--he was in his 90s, and playing well.

[Guest Bill Barton]

Claude Williams was a wonderful musician. I heard him when he was in his late 80's - not playing guitar anymore, only violin (or fiddle, as he referred to it), and how he played! When he hit the stand, it was as if he were thirty years younger.

Only heard him play live once, but I'll remember it for as long as I'm around.

Incidentally, Claude Williams' manager also managed Benny Waters at that time. Mr. Waters was then in his 90's.

Same here... Only once but what a memorable experience. It was the Smithsonian's Masters of the Folk Violin tour and the closing jam on "Sweet Georgia Brown" with Claude "Fiddler" Williams swapping choruses with Alison Krauss (then around 13 years old) still makes me smile.

[Hot Ptah]

One of the best things about living in Kansas City over the past 25 years was the opportunity to hear both of these musicians live very often.

Claude Williams was very memorable live. I remember one concert in a theater in which Jay McShann was the headliner and Sweets Edison, Harold Ashby and Claude Williams were the front line. In the first song Sweets and Ashby played very good solos. Then Claude stepped out and blew them off the bandstand with an intense, short, electrifying violin solo, that made members of the audience all around me spontaneously gasp in astonishment.

Another time I saw him in a small tent at the outdoor Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival. He was not one of the headliners on the large main stages. He was dressed in a T shirt and shorts, standing in the grass a few feet from the audience. Every note he played for the hour long set was compelling. The only thing wrong with the set was that he was too democratic, allowing all of the musicians a lot of solo space, and I wanted to hear more from him.

Jay McShann--I heard him more than 25 times live, and it ranged from very good to truly great. His piano playing was very underpublicized. He could really play in a virtuoso way when he wanted to.

[Durium]

One of the best things about living in Kansas City over the past 25 years was the opportunity to hear both of these musicians live very often.

Claude Williams was very memorable live. I remember one concert in a theater in which Jay McShann was the headliner and Sweets Edison, Harold Ashby and Claude Williams were the front line. In the first song Sweets and Ashby played very good solos. Then Claude stepped out and blew them off the bandstand with an intense, short, electrifying violin solo, that made members of the audience all around me spontaneously gasp in astonishment.

Another time I saw him in a small tent at the outdoor Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival. He was not one of the headliners on the large main stages. He was dressed in a T shirt and shorts, standing in the grass a few feet from the audience. Every note he played for the hour long set was compelling. The only thing wrong with the set was that he was too democratic, allowing all of the musicians a lot of solo space, and I wanted to hear more from him.

Jay McShann--I heard him more than 25 times live, and it ranged from very good to truly great. His piano playing was very underpublicized. He could really play in a virtuoso way when he wanted to.

Thanks all for your nice remembrances about Claude Williams.

Jay McShann-Claude Williams: The Men From Muskogee

Keep swinging

Durium

[Neal Pomea]

Thanks for the story!

I was lucky to hear Claude Williams participate in a tour sponsored by the National Council for the Traditional Arts. Arhoolie put out a CD of one of the concerts, which also included Kenny Baker, Michael Doucet, Natalie McMaster, and Brendan Mulvihill. This was at Georgetown U. and it must have been 1995 as the notes indicate. Good review on the Arhoolie site!

I remember him doing a wonderful "Going to Kansas City."

ETA: here is the link: http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/434.shtml

Edited February 6, 2009 by It Should be You

[Hot Ptah]

Also, the only time I ever saw James Carter live when he was really good, Claude Williams was sitting in the front row of the club (the Drum Room in Kansas City, April, 1996). James Carter saw Claude there, a few feet from the stage, and dedicated the set to him. Carter played a no nonsense set that was often quite exciting, at a level above everything else I have ever heard from him.