RIP Chicago Saxophonist Mars Williams

[humprof]

Very sad to learn of his passing from Nate Chinen, who wrote this on his Substack this morning:

Speaking of saxophonists who really meant something to their local scene, we also lost Mars Williams this week. This was also not entirely a surprise — Williams was public about his battle with cancer — but it still registered as a gut punch. It especially stings because his sound fills the air this time of year, thanks to the series of Ayler Xmas albums he made, and also his indelible work with The Waitresses.

But Williams was so much more than those recordings, a fact that Peter Margasak conveys so well in this homage. I’m grateful to Peter for writing it.

I hadn't actually known about Williams's cancer fight, but if I had, I'd have gone to Bandcamp and snatched up every one of those Ayler Xmas albums I don't already have. Some of the wildest holiday jazz you'll ever hear!

As Margasak points out: Williams played not only with stalwarts of the Chicago scene like Peter Brötzmann and Ken Vandermark, but also with "out" rock bands like the Psychedelic Furs and The Waitresses. RIP.

https://petermargasak.substack.com/p/mars-williams-has-left-the-stage

 

[J. PUPSTER]

OMG, dashes my hopes of ever seeing his Acid Jazz band 'Liquid Soul' (my absolute favorite) live. And why wasn't that mentioned in the article above???

I'm crushed!

https://www.discogs.com/artist/211538-Liquid-Soul