Tom and Delores King Williams

Delores King Williams is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, where she began her musical studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She continued studying music and theater and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Williams is equally at home in theatrical productions as well as concert settings and has performed in musicals, plays, cabarets, commercials, concerts, and video productions. Performance highlights include: international appearances at the North Sea, Montreux, and Vienne Jazz Festivals, concert tours of India and Egypt, performances at the White House and Carnegie Hall, off-Broadway runs with The Capitol Steps, and an Australian tour of Porgy and Bess with the Washington National Opera.

Delores King Williams is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, where she began her musical studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She continued studying music and theater and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Williams is equally at home in theatrical productions as well as concert settings and has performed in musicals, plays, cabarets, commercials, concerts, and video productions. Performance highlights include: international appearances at the North Sea, Montreux, and Vienne Jazz Festivals, concert tours of India and Egypt, performances at the White House and Carnegie Hall, off-Broadway runs with The Capitol Steps, and an Australian tour of Porgy and Bess with the Washington National Opera.

She has had the privilege of working with inspiring talents such as Vanessa Williams, Betty Carter, The Smithsonian Masterworks Orchestra directed by David Baker, Keter Betts, Rich Matteson, Jay McSchann, Gene DiNovi, Jimmy Heath, and Quincy Jones. Ms. Williams is a winner of a Downbeat magazine award, a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, a winner of the “Billie Holiday Vocal Competition,” a Helen Hayes Award Nominee and an Audie award winner for audio book narration, and a former soloist for the United States Army Band.

In May, Ms. Williams toured Russia for a concert series with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and continues to perform with The Capitol Steps musical political satire group. She is also the recurring character of Dr. Mildred Wyeth in the audio book series, The Deathlands. Her latest recording is the CD Heart and Soul with the buselli/wallarab Jazz Orchestra. She is currently in the production of A Concert Tribute to the Music of Dorothy Fields at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore.

A native of Baltimore, Tom Williams has led a sparkling and varied career since he began studying trumpet and drums as a child. His talent was recognized at an early age by many, and he began working steadily on both trumpet and drums while still a high school student.

After matriculating at Towson State University, Mr. Williams joined the renowned Duke Ellington Orchestra, under the direction of Mercer Ellington, with whom he played the national tour of the Broadway smash Sophisticated Ladies, also touring Japan with the road company. In 1987 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served eight years as a featured soloist and clinician with the Jazz Ambassadors and Army Blues jazz ensembles. In 1991 he was a finalist and 2nd place winner in the first Louis Armstrong International Jazz Trumpet Competition sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
A versatile performer, Mr. Williams has played in the show bands of Pattie Labelle, Liberace, Anita Baker, Sid Caesar, Michael Feinstein, Joe Williams, Stevie Wonder, Rosemary Clooney, and Aretha Franklin to name a few. He has appeared at numerous jazz festivals and venues with such artists as Donald Brown, Hank Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Gary Bartz, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Michel Legrand, Ben Riley, Steve Wilson, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Frank Foster, Antonio Hart, Slide Hampton, The Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, and Steve Turre.

Mr. Williams has recorded with Rob Bargad, Gary Bartz, Donald Brown, Antonio Hart, Jimmy Heath, The Heath Brothers, Larry Willis, and Steve Wilson. As a leader on Trumpet, Mr. Williams has recorded two CD’s, Introducing Tom Williams, and Straight Street on the Criss Cross Jazz™label. As a drummer, Mr. Williams has performed with Curtis Fuller, Larry Willis, Javon Jackson, Kenny Drew Jr., Gloria Lynn, Geoff Keezer, and is leader of InterPlay, which has recorded First Time and Pick up the Pieces on the JazzScapes™label. He has taught both trumpet and drum set privately for over 20 years and joined the jazz faculty at Howard Community College in 2009.

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12/25/12: All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam

Celebrate this festive Millennium Stage tradition—now in its 14th year—with host and vibraphonist Chuck Redd, pianist Robert Redd, drummer Lenny Robinson, trumpeter Tom Williams, bassist James King, and vocalist Delores Williams.