See For Yourself by Al Williams

Al's first CD, Never Too Late, also featuring Ambush, Bricker and Stoddart, was released in early 1997. Mike Joyce of the Washington Post said, "If saxophonist Al Williams recorded Never Too Late to prove that he's just as talented as many of his better known contemporary jazz peers, he failed. Turns out he's a lot more talented than most." Al's local peers agreed, for the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) nominated Never Too Late in 1997 for Best Jazz Album of the year. The title tune to Al's first CD,

"Never Too Late" -- a Stoddart composition -- is featured on a recent CD by Al Jarreau, All I Got.

A graduate of the Philadelphia Musical Academy, Al studied bassoon with Ferdinand Delnegro and flute with John Krell of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Hubert Laws and Gene Ammons were among his early influences. Soon after graduation, Al toured the U.S., Canada, and South America with Cuban percussionist MONGO SANTAMARIA, recording five albums. One of the albums, Dawn, won a Grammy for Best Latin Album.

He then toured the U.S. and Europe with jazz-rock bassist STANLEY CLARKE and the groundbreaking School Days Band. During that time, Al recorded three albums, Modern Man, I Want To Play For You and Stanley Clarke Live, '76, '77, and performed with world-renowned musicians, including drummer Simon Phillips and guitarist Jeff Beck. After his work with Stanley Clarke, Al was featured on short tours with CBS artists John Lee and Jerry Brown, and keyboard genius Rodney Franklin. He toured Japan in 1988 with popular blues band The Nighthawks, and returned to Japan in 1990 with Epic recording artist Amy Keyes. In summer of 2000, Al performed with Broadway diva Julia Nixon and her critically acclaimed one-woman show "Hot and Soul" at Teatro Colsubsidio in Bogotá, Columbia.

Recent recording sessions feature Al on the soundtracks of America's Most Wanted and National Public Radio's The History of Black Radio, as well as the Nils Lofgren release Every Breath, a soundtrack from Columbia Tri-Star Pictures. Al's tenor sax and flute playing can be heard on the Exodus Quartet single, "Summer Solstice", which received heavy airplay on jazz stations across the country. Together with partner Jon Ozment, Al also produced more than ten of hours of contemporary jazz and salsa recordings for Internet and corporate use.

Average Customer Review: