November 16, 2007: The Music of Mary Lou Williams
Pianist, composer, arranger, and educator Mary Lou Williams is frequently credited for her contributions to jazz, yet she is too often portrayed as either a token woman genius in the male canon, or as a nurturing, motherly figure who helped the male beboppers blossom. Today we’ll take a listen to some of her music, and to her absolutely amazing piano playing. Simply put, Mary Lou Williams had the talent and imagination that few jazz musicians had, be they male, female, black, white, or blue!