Jabo Williams (possible 1895 – 1953 or 1954) was an American

boogie-woogie Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, but already developed in African-American communities since the 1870s.Paul, Elliot, ''That Crazy American Music'' (1957), Chapter 10, p. 229. It was eventually ex ...

and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

pianist and songwriter. His total recorded output was a mere eight sides, which included his two best-known "stunningly primitive" songs, "Pratt City Blues" and "Jab's Blues" (1932). Details of his life outside of music are scanty.

Career

It is supposed that Williams, who was

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, was born in Pratt City, a neighborhood of

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...

, but this is based exclusively on the mention of that location in his recording of "Pratt City Blues". He may have been named Jimmie Williams and may have been born 1895.Jabo Williams Discography
Wirz.de. Retrieved 12 December 2022. What is certain is that he relocated to

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, and was recommended to

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

by Jesse Johnson, a local

record store A record shop or record store is a retail outlet that sells recorded music. Per the name, in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, record shops only sold gramophone records. But over the course of the 20th century, record shops sol ...

owner and talent scout. In May 1932, Williams recorded eight tracks in a

recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and Audio mixing, mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home proje ...

Grafton, Wisconsin Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and a ...

, for Paramount. The timing was not fortuitous, as Paramount stopped recording that year and went out of business in 1935. Consequently, Williams's output was limited in both national distribution and the number of records issued. His "Kokomo Blues" followed previous recordings in a similar style with the same

refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeated in poetry or in music">poetry.html" ;"title="Line (poetry)">line or lines that are repeat ...

, but included the counting line "One and two is three, four and five and six". This partly paved the way for the better-known song "

Sweet Home Chicago "Sweet Home Chicago" is a blues standard first recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936. While often credited to Johnson, the song has precedents in several earlier blues songs. It has become a popular anthem for the city of Chicago, despite ambiguity ...

". By the late 1940s and early 1950s, some of Williams's tracks were reissued by

American Music Records American Music Records is a jazz record company and label that was established by Bill Russell in 1944. Russell produced new recordings and reissues, concentrating on New Orleans jazz musicians such as Bunk Johnson, George Lewis, Baby Dodds, a ...

, amongst others. His playing style was somewhat unusual, but such belated recognition failed to unearth Williams, the details of whose life remain a mystery. He was recalled briefly by

Henry Townsend Henry Townsend may refer to: * Henry Townsend (Norwich) (1626–1695), early American colonist born in Norwich, Norfolk, England * Henry Townsend (Oyster Bay) (1649–1703), American colonist born in Oyster Bay * Henry Townsend (missionary) (1815� ...

, who stated, "I knew him from down on Biddle Street and I played guitar behind him around town". He added that Williams was "an average guy and he was very entertaining ... he disappeared from St. Louis and went down in Arkansas some place. I never knew what the hell happened to him." St. Louis bluesman Joe Dean (1908-1981) also remembered him, from a pool hall in St. Louis with a piano that had regular dances; Williams frequented the place when Dean was in his late teens. According to the researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc, Williams reportedly died in Birmingham in 1953 or 1954.

Discography

His total recorded output consists of the tracks "Fat Mama Blues", "House Lady Blues", "Jab's Blues", "Kokomo Blues" Parts 1 and 2, "My Woman Blues", "Polock Blues", and "Pratt City Blues". All were included on the

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

''Boogie Woogie & Barrelhouse Piano, Vol. 1 (1928–1932)'', issued in 1992 by

Document Records Document Records is an independent record label, founded in Austria and now based in Scotland, that specializes in reissuing vintage blues and jazz. The company has been recognised by The Blues Foundation, being honoured with a Keeping the Bl ...

References

External links

Discography at Discogs.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Jabo 1890s births 1950s deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Musicians from Birmingham, Alabama Boogie-woogie pianists American blues pianists American male pianists African-American pianists St. Louis blues musicians Paramount Records artists Songwriters from Alabama 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists African-American songwriters 20th-century African-American musicians American male songwriters 20th-century American songwriters

Career

Discography

See also

References

External links