VIA PRESS RELEASE | “Jessica Williams (1948-2022) was one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, but she was also a victim of geography. Her technical brilliance, complete control of the piano, creative imagination, wit, and constant desire to stretch herself put her at the top of her field although relatively few (beyond her fellow pianists) seemed to realize it during her lifetime. Jessica was reluctant to travel much, particularly in her later years, and her visits to New York were rare so she was largely overlooked by East Coast critics.” —Scott Yanow, jazz journalist & historian
Sundazed Music announces the release of Orgonomic Music on March 22, 2024. Available on 2LP, CD, and digital, this title is now available for pre-order. Listeners who are only familiar with Jessica Williams’ later work where she is generally heard with a trio or as a soloist stretching out mostly on standards (although focusing more on originals on her own small label’s releases) will be surprised by Orgonomic Music.
The pianist heads a septet, the largest group on any of her many recordings. While Jessica plays some stunning lines on the piano, the emphasis is as much on her writing as on her playing, and each of the other musicians get opportunities to have their say.
Orgonomic Music, which was released by the small Clean Cuts label in 1981, has been out of print for decades. The original eight selections (six of the pianist’s originals, one piece by Stone, and John Coltrane’s “Dear Lord”) are joined by two previously unreleased performances on double LP or CD.
