Biography of Kate Williams

'Made Up' (kwjazz737) is released October 1st 2011 and features Kate's new septet.

She has released four previous CDs, each one to critical acclaim. Her trio CD “Scenes And Dreams” (2005) was rated in the top ten jazz albums that year by Mojo magazine, and “The Embrace” (2008) displayed her rich and sonorous quintet writing, featuring Canadian tenorist Steve Kaldestad, and award-winning flautist Gareth Lockrane.

During 2009/10, Kate toured the UK with various incarnations of her band, including quintet dates with Stan Sulzmann and Gareth Lockrane, and quartet dates with tenor legend Bobby Wellins (with whom a duo recording is planned), all with her rhythm section team of Jeremy Brown (bass) and Tristan Mailliot (drums). She was featured at the Pizza Express Steinway 2-Piano Festival in 2010 and 2011 (with Robin Aspland, and Nikki Iles respectively), with both concerts being broadcast on Radio 3’s Jazz Line Up.

She was born in London into a musical family (her father is the guitarist John Williams, her mother a classical pianist). A recipient of the John Dankworth Award For Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, she has gained a distinctive reputation as both a writer and performer.


She is a member of Chris Biscoe’s “Mingus Moves”, has recorded with vocalists Georgia Mancio (for whom she has also composed and arranged) and Juliet Kelly, as well as performing with many other leading UK artists including John Etheridge, Anita Wardell, Tim Whitehead and Tony Woods.