Jeff Williams, February 2012. Photo credit: Andy Newcombe

Drummer JEFF WILLIAMS, recently back in London from New York,  has written for us, previewing activities over here in the next few months. Welcome back. 

– My UK quartet is at Jazz on the Hill a week from this Friday, the 5th of October. Since Josh Arcoleo has a tour with Joss Stone and won’t be able to make it, I’ve asked Finn Peters to join us (Phil Robson and Sam Lasserson) and am excited about this new addition and an opportunity to play with Finn.

– We’ll also be appearing at the Green Note during the London Jazz Festival on the 16th of November with the same group. There’s a slight chance Josh will be able to join us, which would make it a quintet–even better.

– I’m excited to be back in London after spending the summer in New York. While there I made it a kind of mission to see as many master drummers as I could: Louis Hayes, Al Foster, Tootie Heath, Alvin Queen, Billy Drummond, Tom Rainey, Adam Nussbaum… the list goes on.

Jack DeJohnette, Jeff Williams

– A definite highlight was Jack DeJohnette‘s 70th birthday celebration on his home turf in Woodstock.  Incredibly inspiring.

– Summer also provided a number playing opportunities with my group and Richard Sussman’s Quintet in support of his new CD Continuum (Origin). (We had THIS REVIEW  in Allaboutjazz)

– When I brought my US quartet (Duane Eubanks, John O’Gallagher, John Hébert) over for our May tour of the UK we recorded live at the Vortex. I am now putting together the tracks from that for my next release on Whirlwind Recordings, hopefully out early next year.

Some day I’d like to put both bands together for a double quartet/quintet series. It would be amazing.

Jeff Williams’ Willful Music Website