Clarence Williams' Jazz Kings

Biography

Clarence Williams, born October 8, 1893 (or possibly October 6, 1898), in Plaquemine, Louisiana near New Orleans, began his musical career at a young age, running away at 12 to join Billy Kersand's famous minstrel show as a vocalist and later promoted to master of ceremonies. Returning to New Orleans, he played piano in Storyville's honky-tonks and saloons alongside Sidney Bechet and Bunk Johnson, managed his own cabaret, and launched his songwriting with 'Brownskin Who You For.' In 1915, he partnered with violinist Armand J. Piron to start a music publishing company, which became the leading African-American owned publisher by the 1920s; after Storyville's closure, he moved to Chicago, then New York in the early 1920s, touring briefly with W.C. Handy and establishing a publishing office.[1][2][5][8]

In New York, Williams became a pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance, serving as a primary pianist on numerous 1920s blues records, supervising Okeh's 8000 race series, and recruiting artists for the label from his Times Square office. He led prolific recording sessions as a bandleader, pianist, composer, vocalist, and arranger for OKeh, Columbia, and others, contributing to nearly 750 records, over 150 under his name, including innovative studio groups like Clarence Williams' Blue Five and Red Onion Jazz Babies, which featured early recordings of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet together. His washboard bands persisted into the 1930s despite the Depression and jazz evolution, and he directed production for stars like Bessie Smith, King Oliver, and Fats Waller.[1][3][4][5]

Williams' legacy endures as a multifaceted entrepreneur and artist who bridged New Orleans jazz, blues, and early recording industry, composing classics and enabling countless sessions until fading during the Swing era, with his final recordings in 1937; he passed away November 6, 1965. His business acumen and extensive output shaped jazz dissemination worldwide.[1][3][5]

Fun Facts

• Clarence Williams' Blue Five was a studio-only band formed post-King Oliver's success to tap the blues market, yielding the only pre-1940s recordings of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet together.
• He supervised nearly 1,000 jazz and blues records for labels like Okeh, recruiting artists from his Gaiety Theatre office in Times Square during the 1920s.
• Despite the Great Depression and jazz's evolution, Williams recorded 22 sessions in 1933-35 and persisted with washboard bands into 1937.
• His 1915 publishing firm with Piron grew to be the top African-American owned music publisher in the U.S. by the 1920s.

Members

• Henry “Moon” Jones
• Goldie Lucas - guitar
• George Stafford - drums (drum set)
• Clarence Williams - eponymous, original, piano

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Billy Kersand - Joined his minstrel show at age 12 as vocalist, promoted to master of ceremonies (Minstrel performances) [c. 1905-1910]

Key Collaborators

• Armand J. Piron - Partner in music publishing business (Publishing company founded 1915) [1915-1920s]
• Louis Armstrong - Cornetist in Red Onion Jazz Babies and Blue Five studio bands ("Cakewalkin’ Babies," "Wildcat Blues," "Kansas City Man Blues" (1923-1925)) [1924-1925]
• Sidney Bechet - Soprano saxophonist in Red Onion Jazz Babies and Blue Five; early New Orleans playing partner (Red Onion Jazz Babies and Blue Five recordings (1924)) [1910s-1925]
• Bunk Johnson - Played piano alongside in Storyville saloons (Storyville performances) [1910s]

Artists Influenced

• Bessie Smith - Directed production and recordings as music director (Various Okeh sessions (1920s)) [1920s]
• Fats Waller - Directed production and recordings as music director (Various sessions (1920s-1930s)) [1920s-1930s]
• King Oliver - Directed production and recordings as music director (Various sessions (1920s)) [1920s]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz