Sandy Williams

{{Short description|American jazz trombonist (1906–1991)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sandy Williams | image = Sandy Williams, Times Square (William P. Gottlieb).jpg | caption = Sandy Williams ca. 1947, Times Square.<br/> Photograph by William P. Gottlieb. | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Alexander Balos Williams | alias = | birth_place = | birth_date = October 24, 1906 | death_date = {{death date and age|1991|4|25|1906|10|24}} | death_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | origin = Summerville, South Carolina | instrument = Trombone | genre = Jazz | occupation = Olympic Trophy | years_active = | label = | website = | current_members = | past_members = }}

'''Alexander Balos Williams''' (October 24, 1906 – March 25, 1991) was an American jazz trombonist, perhaps best known for playing with the premier big bands of his day, especially the Chick Webb orchestra. Williams also recorded extensively with Ella Fitzgerald.

==Early life== The son of a preacher, Williams was born in Summerville, South Carolina.<ref>Dance, Stanley. The World of Swing. Da Capo Press, 2001. Print.</ref> The family of thirteen moved to Washington, D.C., when Williams was very young however, the siblings lost their parents six months apart and were sent to an St. Joseph's Industrial School, an orphanage in Delaware.<ref>Dance, Stanley. The World of Swing. Da Capo Press, 2001. Print.</ref> There he joined the school band, but was put on tuba rather than trombone despite his requests. He began taking private lessons while attending Armstrong High School and occasionally played with his professor's sons. Williams played with several bands before he started playing with the Lincoln Theater pit band.<ref>Dance, Stanley. The World of Swing. Da Capo Press, 2001. Print.</ref>

==Career== His admiration of Fletcher Henderson strongly influenced Williams jazz musicianship which received notice locally.<ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref> He played with Claude Hopkins in Atlantic City and later in 1929, joined Horace Henderson.<ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref> He became the solo trombonist with Fletcher Henderson himself <ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref> but was fired after setting off a firecracker on stage.<ref>Carr, Ian et al. The Rough Guide to Jazz. Rough Guides, 2004. Print.</ref> Williams became a staple player in the Chick Webb band from 1933 to 1940, where he later worked with a young Ella Fitzgerald.<ref>Fritts, Ron, and Ken Vail. Ella Fitzgerald: The Chick Webb Years & Beyond. Scarecrow Press, 2003. Print.</ref> Her performance of "A-Tisket A-Tasket" made her a star and the band her accompaniment.<ref>Dance, Stanley. The World of Swing. Da Capo Press, 2001. Print.</ref> He then worked with other bands including Cootie Williams (1942–43) with whom he recorded with Ella again.<ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref> His associations in music included Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Art Hodes and Roy Eldridge whom he toured Europe with in 1947.<ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref>

==Personal life and death== By 1943, Williams was suffering from alcoholism, and despite his attempts to become sober, he continued to drink with many of his band leaders until he suffered from a severe breakdown with his health in 1950 causing him to retire from music.<ref>Yanow, Scott. Classic Jazz: Third Ear - the Essential Listening Companion. Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. Print.</ref> Although he tried to return to music, his dental health affected his embouchure causing him to quit music entirely.<ref>Carr, Ian et al. The Rough Guide to Jazz. Rough Guides, 2004. Print.</ref> He died on March 25, 1991, in New York City. He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City.

==Select discography==

'''With Ella Fitzgerald''' *''Something To Live For'' (Verve) *''Swingstation'' w/ Chick Webb (GRP)

'''With Rex Stewart''' *''Ellingtonia'' (Dial) *''Rex Stewart And His Orchestra'' (Plaza) *''I'm The Luckiest Fool'' (Blue Star)

'''With Sidney Bechet''' *''Sidney Bechet and His New Orleans Feetwarmers'' (Bluebird)

'''With ''Various Artists''''' *''Giants Of Small-Band Swing, Vols. 1 & 2'' (Riverside) *''The Complete H.R.S. Sessions'' (Mosaic)

== Bibliography == * "Boy Meets Horn", Rex Stewart, {{ISBN|1-871478-75-8}} - Includes a description of the European tour.

==Sources== *[https://www.nme.com/artists/sandy-williams ''NME Artists'']

== References == {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110334 Sandy Williams recordings] at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. == Related Pages == * Sidney Bechet * Roy Eldridge * Duke Ellington * Fletcher Henderson * Horace Henderson * Art Hodes * Claude Hopkins * Rex Stewart * Vernon Story * Ella Fitzgerald * Chick Webb

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Sandy}} Category:American jazz trombonists Category:American male trombonists Category:Swing trombonists Category:1906 births Category:1991 deaths Category:People from Summerville, South Carolina Category:Musicians from South Carolina Category:20th-century American trombonists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:American male jazz musicians