Joe Williams (jazz singer)

Joe Williams, Joseph actually Goreed ( born December 12, 1918 in Cordele, Georgia, † March 29, 1999 in Las Vegas ) was an American jazz singer, who is best known for his performances with the Count Basie band.

Williams came as a child to Chicago, where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. In his youth, he became a member of the singing group Jubilee Boys on in the churches of South Side Chicago. In the late 1930s he worked as a bouncer ( " bouncer " ) and a singer in clubs and recorded some 78s with the Chicago Rhythm and Blues orchestras. In 1943 he was hired by Lionel Hampton as a singer with his orchestra he toured for several years. His breakthrough and actual artistic development for blues singer, he managed only as a singer of the Count Basie Orchestra, where successor of the legendary band singers Jimmy Rushing and Maxine Sullivan and his qualities are used as shouter effectively in Blue numbers. As of 1954, Basie and Williams hits have right pieces like Everyday I Have the Blues and Al, Ok, You Win. Particularly successful was the Verve album Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings by 1956. At the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 he performed with the Basie band, even in the Lester Young guested. Thus began a long association with Verve, around 1959 some albums with string arrangements for Roulette Records (Joe Williams Sings About You ) and for RCA Victor ( Jump for Joy, 1963). Even after the Basie - time, he continued his career successfully with her ​​own band continued, but returned later frequently returned to Basie. In 1966, he took with the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Big Band ( founded in the same year ) of long-time Basie - cornet player and arranger Thad Jones.

In the 1980s it was occupied by Bill Cosby in his show than his father " Grandpa Al Hanks ".

Discography (selection)

Verve Records

Delos Records

Swell

• Will Friedwald: Swinging Voices of America - A compendium of great voices. Hannibal, St. Andrew - Woerdern, 1992. ISBN 3-85445-075-3