Irv Williams facts for kids

Irvin Williams (born August 17, 1919 – died December 14, 2019) was an American jazz musician. He played the saxophone and also wrote music. For almost 90 years, Irv Williams focused on playing classic American songs. He mostly used the tenor saxophone as his main instrument.

A Musician's Journey

Irv Williams started his music journey playing the violin. Later, he switched to the clarinet. Finally, he found his passion with the tenor saxophone.

In 1942, Williams moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Early in his career, he played with many famous musicians. These included Ella Fitzgerald, Fletcher Henderson, Mary Lou Williams, and Billy Eckstine. He performed at well-known places like the Apollo Theater and the Howard Theater.

Irv Williams was invited to tour with huge jazz stars. These included Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong. But he chose to stay in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, known as the Twin Cities. He became an important part of their music history.

While teaching music in public schools in St. Paul, he also played with Reginald Buckner. Irv Williams played at every jazz club in the Twin Cities. He even played at the old Flame Bar. There, he often shared the stage with stars like Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, and Johnny Hodges.

After his 84th birthday, Irv Williams released many new albums. These included That’s All (2004) and Dedicated to You (2005). One of his most popular albums was Duo (2006), which he made with piano player Peter Schimke. He also released Finality in 2008.

In 2011, Williams recorded Duke's Mixture. This album featured a group of five musicians. It included five new songs written by Williams himself. He also sang for the first time on the song "Until the Real Thing Comes Along". The album also had classic songs by Irving Berlin and some blues tunes.

Irv Williams had a regular weekly show at the Dakota Jazz Club. This popular club is in downtown Minneapolis.

Awards and Special Recognition

Irv Williams received many honors for his amazing music career:

• 1984 – He was the first jazz musician to have his own "Irv Williams Day" in Minnesota.
• 1990 – His picture was shown on the official "Celebrate Minnesota" state map.
• 1995 – He was named an Arts Midwest Jazz Master.
• 2005 – He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the KBEM Winter Jazz Festival.
• 2010 – He was featured on the cover of the Saint Paul Almanac magazine.
• He was added to the Minnesota Jazz Hall of Fame.
• His old saxophone is now part of an exhibit. It's in the "Minnesota’s Greatest Generation" display at the Minnesota History Center.

Music Albums

Here are some of the albums Irv Williams released:

• Keep the Music Playing (1994)
• Peace, with Strings (1996)
• STOP Look and Listen (2000)
• Encore (2001)
• That’s All (2004)
• Dedicated To You (2005)
• Duo - with Peter Schimke (2006)
• Finality (2008)
• Duke’s Mixture (2011)
• Then Was Then, Now Is Now (2014)
• Pinnacle - with the Irv Williams Trio (2015)

Movies and Documentaries

Irv Williams was also featured in some films:

• 2012 – He appeared in Arts and the Mind, a documentary shown on PBS.
• 2012 – He was in The Funkytown Movie, a music documentary by Megabien Entertainment.

See also

In Spanish: Irv Williams para niños