In addition, a rare bigband rendition of virgo from her zodiac suite is one of several williams contributions included on jazz. Jazz mary lou williams trio zodiac suite 1975, vinyl discogs. Composed and arranged by mary lou williams, edited by jeffrey sultanof. Mary lou williams is one of the greatest women in the history of jazz and perhaps the greatest of all. Having grown up on the music of earl hines a fellow pittsburgh native, williams ventured out of home and was picked up.
With just a casual interest in astrology, mary lou williams created her 1945 zodiac suite as a series of character sketches, musical portraits of friends from each sign that she would debut on a weekly radio show. You can buy latest album 19491951 chronological classics cd5 2002 mary lou williams. The zodiac suite was composed by pianist mary lou williams in. While gps technology allows us to pinpoint any location on the planet, mark the location, and share it with others, waymarking is the toolset for categorizing and adding unique information for that location. Aries is for ben webster and billie holiday, taurus for duke ellington, and libra for dizzy gillespie, art tatum, bud powell, and thelonious monk. Smithsonian folkways proudly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original asch records release of mary lou williams work, zodiac suite. A 19 yearold mary lou williams faced that same struggle in the late 1920s.
Over march 2018, we put the spotlight on jazz great mary lou williams who is remembered as not only a standout pianist but also for her role in breaking down gender stereotypes in. At age, she played with duke ellington, and later was the first woman hired by benny goodman. Zodiac suite by mary lou williams on amazon music amazon. As a very young child she taught herself to play the piano her first public performance was at the age of six. She also wrote large scale orchestral works including her zodiac suite and a mass. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. Revisited by the mary lou williams collective, released in 2006 on mary records. Zodiac suite score and parts by score and parts sheet. Listen online 22 songs from 19451947 chronological classics cd4 1999 mary lou williams. Mary lou williams zodiac suite, a 12piece work with a different theme made for each of the signs of the zodiac and keeping in mind the personalities of a few jazz musicians born during each period, was composed and first recorded in 1945. At this time mary lou had her own weekly radio show on wnew in nyc called the mary lou williams piano workshop. Music profile for mary lou williams, born 8 may 1910. The zodiac suite was composed by pianist mary lou williams in 194445 and recorded shortly thereafter. The first significant female composer and pianist in jazz, mary lou williams was a child prodigy, who worked in and around pittsburgh as mary lou burley.
A new performance of mary lou williams zodiac suite. Although for decades she was often called jazzs greatest female musician and one has to admire what must have been a nonstop battle against sexism, she would have been considered a major artist no matter what her sex. On a large platform inside the oval mahogany bar at new yorks hickory house, the last surviving establishment offering jazz on west 52nd street, swing street, an authoritative africanamerican woman in early middle age sat at the piano, eyes mostly closed, her face registering every nuance in the music she was. Listen to mary lou williams soundcloud is an audio platform that lets you listen to what you love and share the sounds you create 23 followers. Mary lou williams created the zodiac suite some 60 years ago, becoming famous for the intricacies of her extraordinary pianistic skills as well as for her seemingly never ending inventive jazz writing if those two terms can be compatible. Buy and download mary lou williams music at mp3caprice. Dec 25, 2019 mary lou williams may 8, 1910 may 28, 1981 was an american jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Libra mary lou williams, zodiac suite 1945 q 115 rubato. Mary lou williams download all jazz songs mary lou. Performing solo and accompanied by bassist al lucas and drummer jack parker, williams crafted these pieces as a series of dedications to fellow musicians born under each astrological sign. Performing solo and accompanied by bassist al lucas and drummer jack parker, williams crafted these pieces as a series of dedications to fellow musicians born. Morning glory a biography of mary lou williams new york, pantheon, 2000. She was born mary elfrieda scruggs in atlanta, georgia and grew up in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. Mary lou williams live at carnegie hall, jun 28, 1978 at.
Williams could hear a piece of music and play it back. Jdisc is a tool for exploring jazz recordings, with rich information on the artists, songs, and labels, and vast legacy of lps and cds that have shaped the music. She composed and played an interpretation of each of the astrological signs one weekly for twelve weeks. Discover, buy and download high quality mp3 music by mary lou williams at mp3caprice. Williams zodiac suite showed off some of her modern ideas, and her in the land of oobladee was a bebop fable recorded by gillespie. Here you can buy and download music mp3 mary lou williams. Mary lou williams zodiac suite indiana public media. Williams lived in europe from 19521954 and then became very involved in the catholic religion. Bbc radio 3 composer of the week, mary lou williams. Beginning in the early days of jazz she was a woman who learnt very quickly how to cope. The zodiac suite was in mary lous possession, as well as all of her other music archivist anne kuebler noted that williams kept nearly everything, from dry cleaning receipts to napkins with the names of songs on them given to her as requests when she appeared at a club.
She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records in 78, 45, and lp versions. Mary lou williams was an american jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. In 1945 her recording activities produced the zodiac suite. She composed and played an interpretation of each of the astrological signs one weekly. The mary lou williams collective, under the musical direction of pianistarranger composer geri allen, reexamines and revitalizes mary lou williams zodiac suite the first lady of instrumental jazzs landmark 1945 recording of her collection of twelve solo, duo and trio piano pieces named for the astrological signs of the fellow jazz. May 26, 2010 track from mary lou s album zodiac suite, recorded in 1945. She was a brilliant and prolific composer and uniquely gifted pianist whose influence spans nearly the entire timeline of jazz music, but her name is almost never listed among the giants of jazz. Mary lou williams extended work will be performed in its entirety by a large ensemble for the first time since 1945. Revisited, pristinely recorded by dj val jeanty of allens husband wallace roneys band on allens own piano in her montclair, nj home, is an intimate revisitation to. Picking out simple tunes at age two, mary lou was a prodigy with perfect pitch and a highly. Print instantly, or sync to our free pc, web and mobile apps. In 1945 pianist, composer and arranger mary lou williams debuted her first extended work, the zodiac suite, with musical movements for each sign of the zodiac.
Mary lou williams december 31, 1945 jdisc online jazz. A new performance of mary lou williams zodiac suite open menu. May 8, 1910 may 28, 1981 was an american jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. The zodiac suite was in mary lou s possession, as well as all of her other music archivist anne kuebler noted that williams kept nearly everything, from dry cleaning receipts to napkins with the names of songs on them given to her as requests when she appeared at a club. With the assistance of bassist al lucas and drummer jack the bear parker, pianist williams performs these moody and often introspective but. Mary lou williams, jazz pianist who performed with and composed for many of the great jazz artists of the 1940s and 50s. The zodiac suite takes us through all twelve signs of the zodiac with special colorings and moods for each.
In 1945 pianist, composer and arranger mary lou williams debuted her first extended work, the zodiac suite, with musical movements for each. Revisited, pristinely recorded by dj val jeanty of allens husband wallace roneys band on allens own piano in her montclair, nj home, is an intimate revisitation to this. Williams dedicated her zodiac suite to figures she respected, including billie holiday, ben webster, duke ellington, ellis larkins, vic dickenson, leonard feather, dizzy gillespie, art tatum, bud powell, thelonious. Mary lou williams recorded extensively for folkways records, and smithsonian folkways reissued many of those recordings in recent years. Listen free to mary lou williams zodiac suite aries, taurus and more. Zodiac suite score and parts, studio ensemble arrangement see. Mary lou williams telecharger et ecouter les albums. Listen to mary lou williams talk about the conception of the zodiac suite weaving a newfound spirituality into her music, williams recorded the 1963 album black christ of. Mary lou williams may 8, 1910 may 28, 1981 was an american jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Major works include zodiac suite and mary lous mass.
Williams received early instruction from her mother, a classically trained pianist. Ten days after appearing at the 1978 white house jazz festival, a gala bash put together by impresario george wein that featured a host of jazz allstars performing on the south lawn before president jimmy carter, pianist mary lou williams appeared at the 1978 newport jazz festival as part of a show titled three pianos and two guitars. Stream tracks and playlists from mary lou williams on your desktop or mobile device. A prodigy, she taught herself to play the piano at the age of four. Mary lou was treated badly but continued to compose and play right up until her death. Mar 24, 2020 mary lou williams, jazz pianist who performed with and composed for many of the great jazz artists of the 1940s and 50s.
Revisited by mary lou williams, released in 2006 on mary records. Listen to mary lou williams talk about the conception of the zodiac suite weaving a newfound spirituality into her music, williams recorded the 1963 album black christ of the andes, and in the. Mary lou williams pennsylvania historical markers on. It was also performed on williams weekly radio program in 1944. In 1945, she composed the classicallyinfluenced zodiac suite, in which each of the. Her zodiac suite a dozen pieces reflecting jazz people and some others born under the different signs of the zodiac is unique in the annals of the music. The suite consists of twelve segments, each musically describing one sign of the zodiac, and is regarded as mary lou williams most important work. Mary lou williams lived and played through all the eras in the history of jazz. Jazz mary lou williams zodiac suite 1995, cd discogs. Williams wrote and arranged for duke ellington and benny goodman, and she was friend, mentor, and teacher to. With the assistance of bassist al lucas and drummer jack the bear parker, pianist williams performs these moody and often.
In 1945 pianist, composer and arranger mary lou williams debuted her first extended work, the zodiac suite, with musical movements for each sign. Mary lou williams was in my opinion a wonderful example of a woman black making it in a mans world. The trio, created by pianist geri allen, plays the tunes of mary lou williams. In a field dominated by men, she quickly became a star.
Dec 16, 2010 mary lou williams extended work will be performed in its entirety by a large ensemble for the first time since 1945. Dec 03, 2006 is a way to mark unique locations on the planet and give them a voice. Zodiac suite mary lou williams collective, mary lou. Jul 01, 2019 with just a casual interest in astrology, mary lou williams created her 1945 zodiac suite as a series of character sketches, musical portraits of friends from each sign that she would debut on a weekly radio show. Mary lou williams music, videos, stats, and photos. Zodiac suite the new cd from the mary lou williams collective is zodiac suite. Mary lou williams american musician, composer and educator. Geri allen, as musical director of the mary lou williams collective, is particularly well suited to revive the musical legacy of the great mary lou williams. On tuesdays performance today, the ancia saxophone quartet plays selections from. To say that mary lou williams had a long and productive career is an understatement. Williams wrote and arranged for duke ellington and benny goodman, and she was friend.
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