ENDEIT
Claude Williamson
Photo: Herold U., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pianists · 1926–2016

Claude Williamson

American jazz pianist (1926–2016)

Born
18 November 1926
Brattleboro
Died
16 July 2016
Sunland-Tujunga
Country
United States
Discography
15 albums

Biography

Claude Williamson was a jazz musician who played piano. Claude Williamson was born on 18 November 1926 in Brattleboro and died on 16 July 2016 in Sunland-Tujunga. The music is usually filed under jazz. The discography here lists 15 albums, from “Claude Williamson” (1956) to “Collaboration” (2009).

Claude Berkeley Williamson (November 18, 1926 – July 16, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. Williamson was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, United States. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to jazz, influenced mainly by Teddy Wilson, then by Al Haig and Bud Powell. In 1947, he moved to California, working first with Teddy Edwards, then with Red Norvo in San Francisco, with Charlie Barnet in 1949, and with June Christy for two years. Later he worked with Max Roach, Art Pepper and others. Williamson was a longtime member of the Lighthouse All-Stars (substituting for pianist Russ Freeman), performing with Bud Shank, Stan Levey, Bob Cooper, Conte Candoli and Howard Rumsey. In 1956, he became the piano player in the Bud Shank quartet. In 1968, he started working as a pianist for NBC, first on The Andy Williams Show, then for Sonny and Cher.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Claude Williamson 1956
Bud Shank Quartet Featuring Claude Williamson 1957
Mulls the Mulligan Scene 1958
Modern Jazz in the Nude 1968
Holography 1977
New Departure 1978 · Interplay Records
La Fiesta 1979
Claude Reigns 1984
Killer Joe 1988
Blue Minor 1991
Blues in Front 1991
Memory of West Coast 1991
The Fabulous Bud Shank Quartet 2004
Collaboration 2009
In Italy

Also plays on

Albums where Claude Williamson is credited as a sideman

1954 Kessel Plays Standards — Barney Kessel piano
1955 Happy Minors — Red Mitchell, Bob Brookmeyer, Zoot Simms piano
1955 Pacific Jazz Records 1213 — Bud Shank piano
1955 Swing Guitars — Oscar Moore, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow piano
1955 Sincerely, Conti — Conte Candoli piano
1955 Max Bennett — Max Bennett piano
1955 Shifting Winds — Bob Cooper piano
1956 Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like — Barney Kessel piano
1956 Charlie Mariano Plays — Charlie Mariano piano
1956 Jazz at Cal-Tech — Bud Shank piano
1957 Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By — Barney Kessel piano
1957 Surf Ride — Art Pepper piano
1957 New Sounds — Pete Rugolo keyboard, piano
1959 Two Altos — Sonny Red, Art Pepper piano
1960 Plays Tenor — Bud Shank piano
1981 Group Activity — Bob Cooper Sextet, Bill Holman Octet piano
1982 Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges — Gerry Mulligan piano
1989 Misty Eyes — Bud Shank piano
1991 Witch Doctor — Chet Baker & Lighthouse All Stars piano
1998 Theme Music From "The James Dean Story" featuring Chet Baker & Bud Shank — Johnny Mandel & Bill Holman piano
1998 Conducts The Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra — Stan Kenton piano
1998 Blowin' Country — Bud Shank & Bob Cooper piano
2005 Hollywood Party/Jam Session — Maynard Ferguson piano
2005 Rugolovations — Pete Rugolo piano, keyboard
2024 Hit Collection — Chet Baker piano

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Claude Williamson play?

Claude Williamson is known for playing piano.

When and where was Claude Williamson born?

Claude Williamson was born 18 November 1926 in Brattleboro.

What are Claude Williamson's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include New Departure (1978), Claude Williamson (1956), Bud Shank Quartet Featuring Claude Williamson (1957), Mulls the Mulligan Scene (1958) and Modern Jazz in the Nude (1968).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.