Eric Williams

Eric was born in Chicago, IL in 1967 where he attended Charles Kozminski Elementary
School and was first introduced to music by his band director Reginald Willis, a local
Jazz bassist. Starting from third grade until he graduated, Eric played trumpet in the school’s concert band Which had a heavy jazz influence thanks to Mr. Willis. Eric continued playing trumpet throughout high school (St. Paul’s School) playing mostly classical music. He did not play any musical instruments in collecge and didn’t pick up the bass untill about ten years after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania. He has studied privatelyWith Don DeSanto and Larry Gray, and he has also attended the Jamey Abersold Jazz Camp in Louisville, KY for many years years, taking lessons from Rufus Reid, Lynn Seaton, Tyrone Wheeler, John Goldsby, and Dave Friesen. Eric has played many venues In the Chicago area and has has the opportunity to play with many fine musicians such as Dee Alexander, Curtis Prince, Buddy Fambro, Corey Wilkes, Spider Saloff, Jimmy Ellis, Steve Flowers, Isham “Rusty” Jones, Margaret Murphy, and Ken Chaney. Eric Williams plays both electric and acoustic bass.