BENI WILLIAMS
Beni Williams is one of the world's foremost composer keyboardists, his music is a synthesis of the best in jazz, funk, blues, latin, R+B, urban, afro-caribbean
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Barracuda Barracuda
This instrumental took me about an hour in a recording studio, interacting with their MIDI set-up, I performed all the parts (electric piano, drums, percussion, bass synth, steel pans, clavinet, in real time, then looped the percussion and 16 measure
Beni Williams has been writing original music and playing keyboards since 1972. His first groups incuded the heavy rock band Equilibrium, Prog Rock group Full Circle, and the seminal World-Jazz fusion group TAO. Recording mashups and mix tapes as far back as 1981, he was one of the godfathers of the 'Bristol Sound' - a style of urban beats and soulful vocals that eventually gave birth to bands like Massive Attack and Portishead. He has given well over 4,000 public performances, worked with musicians from all over the world, and as a session musician recorded with a host of great jazz and world musicians, including Johnny Guitar Watson Tenorman Paul Dunmall, Urban Dance Producer Rob Smith (Smith & Mighty)Present Tense Trio, ECM flautist Neil Metcalfe, jazz diva Yoko Sikes, UK Tenorman Jerry Underwood, LA-based smooth jazz guitarist John Dalton, fusion pioneer John Serry, Colombian Cumbia Queen Toto La Momposina, British Avant-Garde guitarist Philip Gibbs, East of Eden Saxophonist Ron Caines, Bass Phenomenon Antonio Quijano, New York Saxophonists Mike Ellis & Tom Alexander, Andrew Voigt of the World Saxophone Quartet, Los Lobos Conguero Charlie Tovar, Elvin Jones bassman Nobuyoshi Ino, and many others. He currently teaches jazz at the Creative Souls Community Arts Project in St Pauls Afro-Caribbean district, in his home city of Bristol, runs his own record label, and divides his time between Britain and the Far East.Band/artist history
I currently lead several performance units and 'workshop' bands. They are PRIME FUNK - an 8 piece funk outfit, PAROKSHA - my freebop trio, KAZIMIR EFFECT which I co-lead with Puerto Rican Bass Genius ANTONIO QUIJANO, and I also work under my own name - BENI WILLIAMS 4-TET, with guest artists, I also duo with just a few guitarists - including Philip Gibbs who is about the best I've ever encountered. Oh - and I play keyboards for my daughter EARTHA who is a fantastic R+B singer!Have you performed in front of an audience?Yes, all the time, I've been addicted to gigging since the age of 14. The most amazing performer I've ever worked with is legendary Colombian singer Toto La Momposina, she has a stage presence that can stun a rowdy audience to total silence, and she can communicate her musical wishes telepathically to her musicians - raw power and magical charisma!
Your musical influences
The entire history of African American, Latin American, and Afro-Caribbean music. Music of survival and celebration. My favorite keyboardists are Herbie Hancock and George Duke. But I listen to anything excellent, from Jelly Roll Morton to Dolly Parton to Steve Coleman to Flying lotus to Miles Davis. Eddie Harris is one of my all-time favorite musicians, but I love the heavyweights like George Russell and Gonzalo Rubalcaba - musicians with brains (a rare thing - Ha ha!). Any and all cutting edge serious music, regardless of style - I love artists who push the envelope - we aren't put here to stand still or go backwards!What equipment do you use?
Roland stage piano, Fender Rhodes, Hohner D6 clavinet, vintage synths - JX3P, Prophet 5, Minimoog, etc. Fender Jazz bass, LP latin percussion, Yamaha melodica.Anything else?
I'm looking forward to hearing the music of the 21st Century - I've heard nothing like it yet! We need to push on into pastures new, I think - there's too much reliance on the beautiful bygone sounds - I loved the stuff that was then - but now is now and what's coming might blow me away - here's hoping! I'm not a nostagia tripster - I'm far too old for that!
Bristol,
United Kingdom
ID
931953
Contact
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