Among the most interesting local acts in this year’s LouFest lineup is jazz pianist Ptah Williams, a stalwart of the local jazz scene who’s known as a stellar performer, teacher, and recording artist.
These days, he plays a weekly residency at The Dark Room, where he works with a trio that usually includes drummer Gary Sykes and bassist Darrell Mixon. Their Friday-evening sets have been drawing ever-bigger crowds, largely thanks to word of mouth from audiences well versed in jazz. “They’re coming there to listen,” says Williams, “not to just sit and talk but to really listen.”
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Williams developed his chops in a variety of roles. For 15 years he taught at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. He’s held residencies at several noted St. Louis music rooms, including weekly shows at the now-shuttered Cicero’s, Riddle’s Penultimate, and Delmar Lounge. And there’s also been the occasional show overseas. “Every now and again, I still get to play in Europe,” he says. Williams also released several albums mixing jazz chestnuts and original songs.
“Ptah is the energy that fuels the St. Louis jazz scene,” says his producer, Autumn Hill Records co-owner Michael Silverman. “Every time one of our great players hears him, they are inspired to reach further, push more limits, take more chances with their own playing. In the studio, he’s a hurricane: He asks me to produce him on a regular basis, but mostly I can only provide a little guidance before he takes off on the piano, and we hold on for dear life.
“He and his musical brother Darrell Mixon give us all the push we need as artists to keep striving for greater musical heights,” Silverman continues. “He has this way in his music and in his life—hilarious stories, talking a million miles per hour, referencing God and Fred Sanford and Charlie Parker in the same breath.”
Williams recalls Silverman and his brother, drummer and Autumn Hill co-owner Rob Silverman, coming to Cicero’s years ago to watch and listen. They’ve since found ways to collaborate over their passion. “When people get along and work together, things always come together,” says Williams. “With the right attitude and disposition, you can move forward. It’s all about moving forward.”
Pick Three
LouFest’s lineup features a heady helping of sounds familiar to audiences in Grand Center’s jazz venues, including The Dark Room.
- Mo Egeston: A longtime bandleader and keyboardist, Egeston’s been a fixture on the local music scene since Washington Avenue’s heyday as a live-music hub in the ’90s. His calling card? Groove-based instrumentals, brought to life by ace players—in the case of this LouFest, the Mo Egeston All-Stars.
- Ben Reece: The in-demand sax player brings his own originals project, the Unity Quintet, to LouFest and joins in on the set of Kevin Bowers’ Nova, another all-star band that “manages to croon like Tony Bennett, pop like Sergio Mendes, and pulse like the Beatles.”
- Owen Ragland Quintet: Teenage keyboard phenom Ragland has already secured the support of local genre-blending label/collective FarFetched and is ready to play in front of his largest audience yet.
