Five years ago I required a serious back fusion operation after 55 years of playing piano. I was born with certain spinal issues that got worse with age, and my poor posture did not help. I was financially devastated and lost my piano. Soon, the rent is due and the thought of being homeless scares me. Please donate if you can, or perhaps you could buy a few of my CDs. I thank you all so very much, from deeply within my heart. — Jessica, June 24, 2017
- Jessica Williams, born March 17, 1948, Baltimore Maryland.
- Headliner at The Kennedy Center, Dutch North Sea Festival, Norway Molde Festival, plus major fesitivals and concert halls in Bern, Tokyo, NYC, South Korea, London — more
- She holds a Fellowship with the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation — more
- Graduate of The Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory of Music
- She has released over 80 CDs and LPs, and written over 1000 compositions — more
- She has received four grants from the National Endowment for the Arts; a Rockefeller Grant for composing; the Alice B. Toklas Grant for Women Composers, the 2016 ASCAP Award — more
- "One of the greatest pianists I have ever heard." - Dave Brubeck
- "Jessica is a beautiful player." - McCoy Tyner
- "The most important pianist to arrive since Bill Evans." - Alun Morgan, Gramophone — more
- "She has the rare ability to draw listeners into her private musical world and hold them there, enthralled." -Dave Gelly, The London Observer
- "Jessica is a powerful virtuoso, a brilliant solo player, and a 'giant of music', consistently brilliant." - Scott Yanow, The All Music Guide
- "Nothing short of brilliant." - Sidney Bechet-Mandela, JazzUSA
- "A vibrant force on the contemporary music scene." - Rolling Stone
- "In a word, she's a monster. Her technical mastery is equaled by her swing; her power matched by her dexterity." - Geraldine Wyckoff, Downbeat
- "Her style and technique embrace a very original combination of wit, grace, introspection and white heat." - Harvey Siders, JazzTimes
- "She is simply a pianistic force of nature that will not be denied." - C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz
- "I will say on record that I think she is the finest pianist of our time. And her records are, bar none, the most consistently immaculate and for your hard-earned dollars, a Jessica Williams album is a no-brainer" - Fred Jung, All About Jazz
- "Jessica is utterly magnificent . . . the most poetic of all living jazz pianists." - Jeff Simon, The Buffalo News
- "This is easy. Jessica Williams doesn't make bad records." - JazzNow, Lawrence Brazier
My back was severely broken in 2012, after a lifetime as a pianist. My multi-level back-fusion required permanent internal rods, pedicle screws, and bone grafts. I lost my piano and all of my savings. Please know that I am not paid for my work if you buy it from anywhere but my web site. My last Google check was for .06 cents! Please donate here. I can still play, and wish to contribute much more of my music to the world. You may also purchase my CDs directly from me. I will sign them for you, and I charge nothing for shipping. Thank you to all who have supported me through these years. I am deeply grateful, and promise that the best is yet to come. — Jessica, June 25, 2017
