James Williams

July 18 - 25, 1 9 9 6 [Off the Record]

***1/2 James Williams

LIVE AT MAYBECK, Volume 42

(Concord Jazz)

Vicissitudes of "da bizniz" have kept Boston's former adopted son James Williams, the Memphis-born pianist, from a reunion with the label that put out his 1980 debut until now. His homecoming is triumphant; this is one of the more distinguished of Concord's landmark Maybeck Hall solo recitals of the now nearly 50 since Joanne Brackeen (a more recent regular Boston visitor to NEC) inaugurated the series in 1988.

Gospel and blues have assumed increasingly prominent roles in Williams's music of late, as evidenced by the recent debut of his Intensive Creative Unit (with two male voices and his pal from Boston and Art Blakey days, Bill Pierce) and now this inspired collection.

Points to ponder: James is in no rush. "Polkadots and Moonbeams" opens with lush balladry with touches of majestic stride. He's in caress mode with Henry Mancini's "Dreamsville" and Sammy Cahn's "I Fall in Love Too Easily." Those big octaves are ever so slightly arpeggiated, giving the impression of swags of Spanish moss. His blues is in strong and sinewy form. Ray Bryant-esque in variety of phrasing and attack. He molds "Inner Urge" into an earthy toccata; he toys with the time on Oscar Peterson's "Blues Etude." Williams's crowning "Spiritual Medley," gloriously cliché-free, radiates joy and good-heartedness.

-- Fred Bouchard