Claude Berkeley Williamson (November 18, 1926 – July 16, 2016) was an American jazz pianist known for his daring, centipede-like speed on the keyboard along with sinewy improvisational lines.
Claude was born in Brattleboro, Vermont and was exposed early to jazz through his father, a drummer who led a territory band in the New England states. Despite his father's background in jazz and dance bands, Claude's studies focused on classical music from the start. He began piano lessons at age seven. By the age of 14 he played piano in the territory band led by his father. It toured the southern part of the state between 1940 and 1944. In 1945 after which Claude began full-time musical studies at the New England Conservatory of Music.
In contrast to these highbrow surroundings, Williamson knew from the start that he wanted to make his career as a jazz musician. Sam Saxe, Williamson's teacher, was a somewhat unorthodox conservatory teacher for the 1940’s. In addition to emphasizing the mastery of keyboard fundamentals, Saxe gave Claude transcriptions of Art Tatum piano figures to be practiced in all twelve keys.
In late 1946, Saxe moved to Southern California, and in February 1947, Williamson followed, not only to continue his studies but also to take advantage of the growing musical opportunities Saxe promised on the West Coast. To earn money over the six-month period before receiving his Los Angeles musician's union card, Williamson played gigs where he met other key musicians who would become instrumental in his career in the 1950s
Immediately after joining the union, Williamson became pianist for the Charlie Barnet band. Barnet's ensemble was evolving into a more bop-oriented band, much like the Woody Herman Herd of the same era. Like other young musicians then joining the band Williamson was increasingly drawn to the modern jazz idiom. During the two years he remained with Barnet, his piano style evolved from its swing era roots in Teddy Wilson and Jess Stacy to a more contemporary approach rooted in the innovations of Bud Powell. His best-known work with Barnet was his piano feature on "Claude Reigns" (a punning reference to both Williamson's keyboard prowess and Hollywood actor Claude Raines).
After leaving Barnet in December 1949, Williamson served as musical director for June Christy. Between 1950 and '51, Williamson was June Christy's accompanist, appearing on her recording of A Mile Down the Highway in 1950 and on the Snader Telescriptions that same year with the Ernie Felice Quartet. From 1951 to 1953, Williamson served in the Army in the Pacific. When he returned, he took over Russ Freeman's chair as the house pianist at Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach. While employed at the Lighthouse, Williamson played with virtually all of the major musicians who would come to dominate the West Coast jazz scene.
In 1955, Williamson left to join the Bud Shank Quartet, which toured overseas. In addition to his work at the Lighthouse, Williamson was an in-demand jazz studio player, recording with Dave Pell, Chet Baker, Pete Rugolo, the Lighthouse All-Stars and many other headliners. Throughout the '50s, Williamson recorded steadily, at times reaching four studio sessions a month. In the late 1950s and early '60s, he was featured on several leadership albums.
His recording activity slowed in the 1960s and early '70s as his television work in Los Angeles picked up. He worked on a range of TV variety shows as a conductor, composer and arranger, notably on the Andy Williams Show and the Sonny and Cher, and Donny and Marie shows. In 1978, Williamson went back to the jazz world and released many albums, mainly for Japanese labels, often accompanied by Sam Jones and Roy Haynes. His studio recording pace slowed even further in the 1980s and '90s, with his last known album, 52nd St. Revisited, being recorded in February 1996.
The craze for L.A. cool jazz came and went and came and went again. In his later years, Williamson suffered illnesses and frailty, yet during 2013 he agreed to appear at a jazz reunion. He was so weak he barely made it to the venue. Then, on stage, at the age of 87, he played. “It was amazing,” his son recalled. “I’m so glad I was there.”
The performance recalled his old style, which was “seamless,” his son said. “It flowed.” After a bad fall in February 2015, Claude broke a hip and never fully recovered. He had hospice care for about a year before he died on July 16, 2016 at the age of 89.
Overall, Williamson, along with Hampton Hawes, infused West Coast jazz with a pure bebop feel. But Williamson also could stretch out on songs with a breathtaking, graceful technique that was all his own. As a sideman, musicians such as Bud Shank favoured Williamson's driving piano while singers such as Christy favoured Williamson's classy swinging feel and hip chord voicings. Williamson was perhaps the last link to Hollywood's jazz scene at the dawn of the LP. (Edited from Jazzwax, Jazz Research & LA Times)
Here's June Christy in 1950 singing Taking a Chance on Love, with the Ernie Felice Quartet and Claude Williamson on piano.