THE MARY LOU WILLIAMS RESURGENCE PROJECT’S Sacred and Secular Music of Mary Lou Williams Sacred and Secular Music of Mary Lou Williams In 2000 Our Lady of Victory Church in reflect the multi-generational, mix- Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Brooklyn, NY asked composer and gendered array of musicians Ms. Stitt, Grady Tate, Henry Threadgill, vibraphonist Cecilia Smith to perform a Williams worked with and was influ- McCoy Tyner, Randy Weston, James concert totally devoted to the composi- enced by during her career. Cecil Williams and Gerald Wilson. tional work of Mary Lou Williams. Bridgewater agreed to serve as the The other members of the Kennedy Cecilia’s earlier studies had not identified contractor for the big band and was Center ensemble—Lakecia Benjamin, Ms. Williams as a composer but merely invaluable in helping Cecilia identify Iantheia Calhoun, Montez Coleman, a jazz pianist. Her preparation for this and recruit the band’s members. At Tanya Darby, Kenny Davis, Elon project led her to the Mary Lou Williams inaugural performance of The Sacred Robin Dixon, Tia Fuller, Carlton Archives, housed at Rutgers University and Secular Music of Mary Lou Holmes, Jennifer Krupa, Keith Loftis, Jazz Institute, where she uncovered a Williams in May 2005 for the Kennedy Cecilia Smith, and Debra Weisz— plethora of compositional information. Center’s 10th Annual Mary Lou have resumes that are equally as Williams Women in Jazz Festival, the The breadth and complexity of Ms. impressive. Like the band’s veterans ensemble of 19 musicians included Williams’ composition work was awe- they have performed and recorded jazz veterans, noted mid-career pro- inspiring. Her library comprised more with some of the greatest names in fessionals and promis- than 350 works for Big pop and jazz including Donald Byrd, ing newcomers to the Band, Small Ensemble Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Clark jazz scene. and Chorus and was on Terry and Stevie Wonder; per- par with recognized formed in bands ranging from jazz greats like Duke the NBC’s The Tonight Show Ellington and Thelonious Band to the famed Lincoln Monk. Yet this great Center Jazz Orchestra, led artist, for the their own groups and record- most part, had ed as leaders. Artistic not been recog- Director, Cecilia Smith, was nized by jazz the first female vibraphonist historians. to record as a leader (The Since that con- Takeoff, CSQ— cert, Cecilia Volume II, High Smith has con- Standards, and tinued research- Leave No Stone ing Mary Lou The band’s veterans— Unturned); she Williams and Cecil Bridgewater, can also be performing her Benny Powell, Howard heard on CDs by work, resulting Johnson, Jack Jeffers, Cassandra in the Mary Lou Amina Claudine Myers, Wilson, Digable Williams Resurgence Project Bill Easley, and Eddie Allen—com- Planets, Lonnie Plaxico, Yoshi Katori, (MLWRP), Ms. Smith’s tribute to this bined careers total more than 250 Leonora Zenzalai Helms, J-Curve phenomenal musician. years, longer than the history of this and Hesterian; and has written works In addition to showcasing Ms. country. Most of these seasoned commissioned by the Cooper-Hewitt Williams’ music with a band that musicians have led their own ensem- Museum, Langston Hughes Pubic reflected her career, Ms. Smith want- bles and worked with many of the well Library, Cambridge Children’s ed to illustrate the timelessness of know jazz orchestras including the Performance Arts Project and the Mary Lou’s work and created new Count Basie Orchestra, the Duke Boston Museum. arrangements of several of her com- Ellington Orchestra (Jack Jeffers led This prestigious group of nineteen positions that use contemporary Duke’s orchestra for several weeks at jazz professionals has performed at straight-ahead, R&B, hip-hop and New York’s famed Birdland) the Chico festivals, in clubs and on concert classical concepts that bring them O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra stages on all seven continents and into the new millennium. and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis acquainted audiences with the multi- Orchestra. They have performed with The first concert series of the faceted world of jazz through both many of the greatest names in the MLWRP, The Sacred and Secular performance and recordings. music cannon including: Muhal Music of Mary Lou Williams, evolved Richard Abrahams, Ajaramu (Jerold If you would like to receive additional from a four-month residency Ms. Donavan), Gene Ammons, Gato information about The Sacred and Smith did at the New England Barbieri, Count Basie, Louis Bellson, Secular Music of Mary Lou Williams Conservatory in 2002 that culminated Art Blakey, Lester Bowie, Ruth or are interested in booking the con- in a concert of Ms. Williams’ works for Brown, Benny Carter, Ron Carter, cert, please contact: Big Band, Small Ensemble and Cyrus Chestnut, Hank Crawford, Chorus using NEC students. CEA Music Mercer Ellington, Gil Evans, Frank Following this residency, renowned 186 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1R Foster, Panama Francis, Dizzy musician and educator, Cecil Brooklyn NY 11217 Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Sir Roland Bridgewater, who has mentored Ms. (718) 398-2946 Hanna, Jimmy Heath, Abdullah Smith, as well as other women interest Ibrahim, Illinois Jacquet, J.J. Please note that the choir for this con- in a career in jazz, encouraged her to Johnson, Quincey Jones, Kalaparush cert series will be hired locally and consider repeating this program with (Maurice McIntyre), B.B. King, John that the concert is available for book- professional musicians capable of Lennon, Taj Mahal, Wynton Marsalis, ing in a variety of formats. mastering the harmonic and rhythmic Earl May, Jimmy McGriff, Charles complexities of the work. McPhearson, Charles Mingus, Oliver Kennedy Center photographs courtesy As the idea for this concert evolved, Nelson, Nicholas Payton, Buddy of Margot Shulman Ms. Smith and Mr. Bridgewater decid- Rich, Mongo Santamaria, John Rehearsal photographs courtesy of ed that the MLWRP Big Band should Scofield, Archie Shepp, Bobby Short, Shem Rajoon