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Chicago Gypsy Project

We Swing


At 45 years of age  Samuel  Williams has become a cult folk music hero on the underground jazz music scene in Chicago . Over the past 20 years as a leader in cutting edge Jazz Violin technique , performance , education and improvised music.  His career contributions include having toured  with notable luminaries ,  like  Nicole Mitchels Black Earth Ensemble, AACM of Chicago, Samuel Martinez Herrera as well as  performances with Kenny Burrell , Willie Pickens , Wynton Marsalis , Roscoe Mitchel , The Art Ensemble of Chicago , Billy Bang , Hamid Drake , Renee Baker to name a few. He has also been a consistent lead call for studio session recordings having worked with legendary arrangers like Tom Tom Washington and contemporary up and comers like Khari Lemuel .   He has had many publications by the media and articles written about him, including Down Beat Magazine poll for rising star 1998, 99, 2000 , and his ground breaking through composed original compositions on his Delmark Debut album Savoirfaire " Running Out Of Time " 562 released 04, which received 4 stars in DownBeat and was a paradigm shift in the Jazz Violin niche  . His current releases on his indie label CCEG Inc. (Central Coast Entertainment Group)  in 2012 and 2011 respectively  include a pop electronic instrumental album  " Threads " , and  " This Just In "  a jazz standards album highlighting his unique voice  and signature approach to improvising.In 2015 Samuel began experimenting with the Gypsy Jazz structure founding the Chicago Gypsy Project culminating in his most recent release " We Swing ".

Depending on your budget ,Samuel is capable of putting together an all -star cast (rhythm section) of veteran players like Jerald Cannon (Bassist for Mccoy Tyner) , Rodney Whitaker (Bassist for Wynton Marsalis) , Bobby Irving the 3rd (Miles Davis's longest running Keyboardist) in a traditional jazz setting , to an all star cast of leading Avante Guarde players like Vincent Davis (Percusionist for Roscoe Mitchel) Hamid Drake (internationally acclaimed Percussionist) , William Parker (Bassist for Billy Bang), Henry Grimes .  He can also fill festival slots as a solo act with the latest technology in electronic effects as a mezmorizing solo act or even completely solo acoustic violin ala his performance of originally composed unaccompanied violin suites from  " Song Poems for Mesopotamia " premiered in 2009 at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival . From smaller events at clubs to luxury hotels or cruise ship engagements to private corporate concerts and major festival bookings from Jazz to Pop music to Avant to classical string quartet Samuel has a wide palate of musical offerings .

Resume

 42 yrs Performing In the Chicago Area:
First Performance age 5 Symphony Center w/ Suzuki strings (Betty Haig), CYS, CYSO, ACO, ASO, Apostolic Church pit Orchestra, Gods House for all Nations Church
Orchestra, South Side Family Orchestra, Civic Orchestra (Sub), CSO (youth group collaborations) as well as many regional state community orchestras.

          Chicago Federation Of Musicians Member – 00 AACM Member – 02
                 Head lined (Most Jazz Venues Notable) In Chicago --(i.e.- The Velvet Lounge and Hot House, Isaac Hays etc.) w/ different groups including leading
          (The East Side Project Band) Chicago Jazz Festivals / year round City festivals and After Fest s – 00 –present
Most notable groups: Black Earth Ensemble (Nicole Mitchell), AACM Big Band, East Side Project Band (SavoirFaire), Sun Percussion (Don Moye),
          Cube (Roscoe Mitchell), Devotion (Avreeyal Ra)  San Luis Potosi (S.L.P. Mexico)-- 05 With Samuel Martinez Herrera / Andre Mineville Huazzteco Band
                  Nuove Forme Festival (Verona Italy) – 03 With Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble Taste Of Chicago Festival ( Chicago , Usa ) - 07
          SavoirFaire Quintet, Hyde Park JazzFest - 09
            Discography:
Notable Recordings-  We Swing (15 ) Simple Classical Melodies (12 ) - Threads ( 11 ) (Sideman) – Huazzteo (05), Vision Quest (01), Afrika Rising (02), Ancient to Future (03) Baddigo (02)
Notable Recordings (Solo) This Just In (07) – Running Out Of Time (05), Live at the Shark Bar (04), Live at the Velvet Lounge (03), Heat (03), The Only Other Option (02), In the Moment (01), SavoirFaire Debut (00)

Bio

Samuel "Savoirfaire" Williams is a Living Chicago Urban Legend { Classically trained professional – Occupation -( Jazz Violinist ) Jazz is an American Musical Art form based on Chord progressions derived from Early 20th Century American Popular music , specifically the period between 1915 – 1950 . At the age of 5 years old as part of a special group of Suzuki Violin child prodigies of Betty Haag . Samuel performed for the first time at Chicago ’s Orchestra Hall . This performance was part of a Public Television Broadcast . This became an Annual event that has span over 35 yrs ,of which Samuel performed with this group for five years . Samuel continued study of the Violin attending The Merit Music School participating in various curriculum offerings Music theory , Youth Orchestras ( CYS, CYSO , Protégé ,All City , All State ) and Private Violin instruction from Joseph Williams in the Traditional Method .Having exhibited a high level of proficiency on the Violin and strong leadership skills Samuel was invited by  Conductor Frank Winkler to lead the principal desk for the Viola Section for the City Youth String ensemble at the age of 16 . Samuel went on to receive the Merit Music Grant to study Classical Viola with Edward Adelson for a Summer at Interlochen Music Camp . It was at Interlochen that Samuel sat in with Milt Jackson at a Jazz Workshop and after speaking with Mr. Jackson changed his musical focus to Jazz Violin. After several years of struggling to find his voice in Jazz . Samuel met Wynton Marsalis while working as an Andy Fran at Symphony Center and after performing for him and mentioning his desire to become a Professional Jazz Violinist , Mr. Marsalis instructed him to study with Jazz Violin Legend Johnny Frigo .Mr. Frigo was not interested in Teaching but mentored Samuel in the Jazz Tradition of allowing Samuel to sit in with him at his local performances.During this period Samuel began Classical Violin study with Violinist and Composer Harold Geller who was a Violin pupil of Ivan Galamian .Samuel continued his Classical training with Richard Ferrin Principal Violist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra . To pay for his lessons Samuel " Busked " on the streets of Chicago and while busking Legendary Jazz Guitar Great Kenny Burrell invited Samuel to work on  a Professional Bebop Performance at the Jazz Showcase with Willie Pickens and Larry Grey . In the year 2000 Samuel was voted into the Chicago Chapter of the elite jazz organization AACM for exhibiting an exemplary musical flexibility leading to Samuel being referred to as Savoirfaire . After releasing three independent Albums of Live recordings , Savoirfaire was discovered by Bob Koester owner of Delmark Records and has received critical acclaim internationally for his album “Running Out Of Time"(Delmark 562) . Savoirfaire continues to perform with his group Savoirfaire Jazz Quartet and has been invited to record for numerous albums and International Jazz Festivals worldwide most notably as a session string player for Otis Clay , R Kelly . In 2005 Samuel was personally invited to play an extra role as principal violinist with his quartet "Renascent Strings" in the movie "Proof " (05)with Gwenyth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins a first in the history of American film making .Savoirfaire continues to trail blaze as a composer , producer and arranger breaking down industry barriers by integrating contemporary Jazz with other forms of music such as Hip Hop , Rock , and World Music.