"...animated, melodic percussion language, punchy original themes, and space for gifted soloists. ...(A) warm and engaging live set."

John Fordham Jazzwise ★ ★ ★ ★ >>READ REVIEW HERE<<

"...his tricky and assertive swing feel should be just as appreciated today as his work with Stan Getz and Dave Liebman was in the '70's."

Downbeat

" Great musicians, who are completely in the zone, coming together to play great music..."

Jazz Journal

"Williams' compositions give his band a wonderfully diverse span of moods and colours to work with, and they rise to each occasion magnificently."

Rough Trade

"Road Tales" is a delight from start to finish."

Step Tempest Blog (US)

"It's a belter for those who like their jazz to be near the cutting edge of things... free without being frightening."

Bebop Spoken Here

“It’s great to hear real audience applause and to thrill to a band of hugely talented and highly interactive musicians feeding off the energy of the crowd.”

The Jazzman

"... performances by alto saxophonist John O’Gallagher, tenor saxophonist Josh Arcoleo and bassist Sam Lasserson, in addition to Williams himself, all stand out."

New York City Jazz Record READ FULL FEATURE HERE

"A fine live document of Jeff Williams' latter day compositional prowess in the hands of a young expert quartet."

All About Jazz

"There is much to praise about “Road Tales.” Jeff Williams and his first-rate quartet provide listeners with an excellent and engaging set of contemporary jazz."

Jazz and Blues Report (San Diego)

JEFF WILLIAMS QUARTET - Takes 'Live at London Jazz Festival - Road Tales' (Literally) on the Road Booking Gigs in 2022

Ohio native Jeff Williams cut his teeth playing with the likes of Stan Getz and Dave Liebman in the febrile atmosphere of 1970s New York, but London is now his second home and his free-ranging creativity both as drummer and as composer, coupled with his dedication as a teacher and bearer of the tradition, has embedded him deep into the UK scene. This recording features an all-star cast of his longtime collaborators, with altoist John O’Gallagher and Josh Arcoleo on tenor making a ferocious twin-horn frontline and virtuoso bassist Sam Lasserson completing the rhythm section. With all the compelling immediacy of a live concert recording, Road Tales documents how the shared experiences of being a band on the road for a decade or so has shaped a musical narrative, as each member tells the story of those experiences, and shows how they established their own identity within the compositions.
“Some of these tunes go back many years, but I think what’s special here is the way the band works together, adding things that aren’t on the paper. So many things were completely unplanned -it’s pure interaction, the sound of a band taking risks." LISTEN HERE

Williams’ compositions give his band a wonderfully diverse span of moods and colours to work with, and they rise to each occasion magnificently. ‘New And Old’ written to mark his father’s passing, is pitched halfway between elegy and nursery rhyme, while ‘The Interloper’ has a Monkish feeling to its quirkily phrased melody and ‘Borderline’ has a carefree major-key uplift, like a free- wheeling calypso or Mexican hat dance. ‘Oddity’ has switchback tempo changes with a burning solo from O’Gallagher, and ‘She Can’t Be A Spy’ spins a tale of mystery with Arcoleo quoting Shorter over a classic Blue Note lope. ‘Under The Radar’, ‘Search Me’ and ‘Scrunge’ run together to form what Williams laughingly refers to as ‘the airport security suite’, moving from a spacious airy feel into a twisted funk that builds into an exhilarating rollercoaster ride of uptempo blowing that’s at once free and deeply melodic. Bassist Lasserson shows his deep musicality on ‘She Can’t Be A Spy’ – “Sam is quite a unique player - to me he’s on a very high level as a musician - he’s so inventive and his ability to take a composition and find so many ways to play it is incredible.”

Released 20 November 2020, Road Tales, his sixth release for Whirlwind, marks the latest stage on a continuous musical journey for Williams and his musical partners. “I love to have a band that is able to take chances – It’s wonderful the way this group can develop my compositions, with their ability to take things as far as possible without going over the cliff. There aren't many actual on-going bands in jazz anymore. The fact that this is one is something I'm proud of. That's the only way a performance of this type becomes possible.”

Gigs Booked So Far in 2022

24 April - GosforthCivic Theatre, Newcastle
25 April - National Centre for Early Music, York
28 April - Leeds Jazz @ Seven Arts tbc
29 April - Sheffield Jazz
6 May - Wakefield Jazz