Mary Lou Williams

Piano is one the popular outlets for female jazz artists. Learning to play the piano has long been encouraged for young girls although at times the pursuit of a jazz career was frowned upon by their family. There have been many pianists that have impacted the jazz world, some of whom will be discussed here over the next few weeks.

Mary Lou Williams is known as the "First Lady of Jazz Piano" and has been influential not just as a jazz pianist but also as a composer/arranger and mentor. She joined the Andy Kirk band with her first husband John Williams and aided the group in becoming popular with her arrangements, compositions and piano playing. She also wrote music for Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellignton and Dizzy Gillepsie. Her long career as an artist and composer gives credit to her ability to follow the current trends in music without losing her distinctive style. She was mentor and inspiration to many young jazz pianists including Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell

Here is Trumpets No End, a piece she wrote for Duke Ellington's Band

A track from her Zodiac Suite album, Scorpio:

Finally Mary's Idea a swing-band score by Williams for the Andy Kirk band

I believe she was still with the band when this was performed so that should be her on the piano.

Mary Lou Williams is truly an inspiration to all jazz pianists and composers. Not only was she an outstanding musician but also a humanitarian. She took several years off from performing to pursue charitable interests. Today the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz festival celebrates women who excel in the world of jazz.

References:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/womeninjazz/

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.er.lib.k-state.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/30355?q=mary+lou+williams&hbutton_search.x=0&hbutton_search.y=0&hbutton_search=search&source=omo_epm&source=omo_t237&source=omo_gmo&source=omo_t114&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit

Critical Listening:

Mary Lou Williams: Gloria

Instruments: Piano, Drums, Bass

Form: AABA

Starts with congos and bass then piano enters. Halfway through she begins introducing dissonance and plays chords rather than single notes. She then moves back and forth between the lightness of the single notes and the heavier chords. The rhythm sections keeps a strong and relentless beat in the background. She stops playing toward the end and lets the drums and bass fade out. This piece reflects her desire to incorporate religious music into her composition.