Jazz breaking news: Jeff Williams listening in for Vortex album launch
Monday, June 3, 2013
Acclaimed London-based American drummer Jeff Williams launches his latest album, The Listener, (released today on the Whirlwind Recordings label), at the Vortex jazz club in Dalston, on Tuesday 4 June.
The venue has particular significance, as it’s where the album was recorded last year with his US band of trumpeter Duane Eubanks, altoist John O'Gallagher and bassist John Hébert on a set of hard driving improv-heavy original music. By contrast his band for the live launch will feature a superb line up of young Brit jazzers (pictured left) including flautist/altoist Finn Peters, tenor saxophonist Josh Arcoleo, pianist Kit Downes (who replaces Phil Robson) and bassist Sam Lasserson.
Raised in Oberlin, Ohio Williams was initially self taught, but went on to attend Berklee College of Music in the late-1960s, and since gone on to enjoy a busy and prolific career playing with such luminaries as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Cedar Walton, John Abercrombie, Art Farmer and numerous others. Among his key collaborations Williams was famously a member of Dave Liebman's 1970s cooperative, Lookout Farm, and can be heard on key recordings by Bill McHenry, Ethan Iverson, Mike Gibbs, Nikki Iles, Barry Green, Lee Konitz, Martin Speake, Hans Koller among many others.
– Mike Flynn
For more info go to www.vortexjazz.co.uk