Fess Williams

Williams came from--and fathered--a musical family; his brother Rudolph was a saxophonist and clarinetist, his sons Rudy and Phil were both saxophonists, and his daughter Estella was a pianist and vocalist. He was also bassist Charles Mingus's uncle. Williams started on violin. He attended Tuskegee in his teens and studied with Major N. Clark-Smith, learning several instruments but settling finally on clarinet. He moved to Cincinnati in 1914 and played saxophone in a local band. He also led his own group for several years before moving to Chicago around 1923. He moved to New Y...