Chocolate Williams


Chocolate Williams was an American jazz bassist and vocalist based in New York City. He was a prolific performer of jazz, and, notably, performed and recorded with Art Tatum in 1941 and Herbie Nichols in 1952.

Selected career highlights

Williams performed with the Cotton Club Tramp Band, Rex Stewart Combo, Herbie Nichols, Art Tatum, his own trio, the Three Chocolates, and his own jazz combo, Chocolate Williams and His Chocolateers. Williams was the founding leader of The Three Chocolates. The other two original members were guitarist Jerome Darr, who went on to perform with Jonah Jones, and pianist Bill Spotswood. Throughout the 1940s and mid-fifties, The Three Chocolates played at clubs along the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest and were favorites in many swank Harlem after-hour spots. In late 1943, The Three Chocolates performed at the Onyx Club on 52nd Street for seven months, the Famous Door for five months, and, before that, Kelly's Stables. Bassist Earl May , who substituted for Williams at Minton's, succeeded him when he stopped playing there.
; Semi-retirement
After his semi-retirement in 1955, Chocolate Williams worked as a messenger for CBS and retired in 1974.
; Residences
He was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1916, and lived there until at least 1930. Williams lived at 60 West 142nd Street in the Sugar Hill area of Harlem when he died in 1984.

Selected extant discography


    ; 1940s
  1. Art Tatum

    Onyx ORI205

    Art Tatum, Chocolate Williams, Anna Robinson, Ethel White, Charlie Shavers, Ollie Potter

    Recorded live July 26 or 27, 1941, at Gee-Haw Stables, New York City

    1: "Mighty Lak' a Rose"
    2: "Knockin' Myself Out"

    3: "Toledo Blues"

    4: "Body and Soul"
    5: "Star Dust"
    6: "Embraceable You"
    7: "I Surrender Dear"
    8: "There'll Be Some Changes Made"
  2. Chocolate Williams With Brick Fleagle's Rhythmakers

    Hot Record Society Records Records

    Recorded May 5, 1947, New York City

    Billy Taylor, "Half Valve", Brick Fleagle, Chocolate Williams, Jimmy Crawford

    1065-1: "They'll Do It Every Time"
    1065-4: "On You It Looks Good"
  3. Chocolate Williams and His Chocolateers

    Recorded March 6, 1952, New York City

    Herbie Nichols, Danny Barker, Chocolate Williams, Shadow Wilson

    Hi-Lo Records 1402

    HL 311: "Lady Gingersnap"

    Chocolate Williams
    HL 312: "Good Story Blues"

    Chocolate Williams

  4. Herbie Nichols

    Savoy MG 12100

    HL 313: "Who's Blues?"

    HL 314: "'S Wonderful"
    HL 315: "Nichols and Dimes"
  5. Thelonious Monk with the Gigi Gryce Quartet / Herbie Nichols

    Savoy SJL 1166

    HL 314: "'S Wonderful"
    HL 315: "Nichols and Dimes"
  6. Chocolate Williams and His Chocolateers

    Hi-Lo Records 1403

    HL 313: "Who's Blues?"
    HL 314: "'S Wonderful"
    ; Other sessions
  7. Joe Williams

    Cincinnati Records 2300

    Recorded in Cincinnati, ca. November 1944

    2300 A: : "'Round The Clock Blues"

    2300 B: : "'Round The Clock Blues"

; Discography notes
  • "Knockin' Myself Out", with Tatum on piano and Williams singing, refers to reefer and its local supplier:
  • "There'll Be Some Changes Made", was recorded in 1941 on acetate discs by an amateur, a Columbia Student, Jerry Newman , and released in the 1973. Newman's collection was the initial sole material used to launch the jazz label, Onyx Recording, Inc. , a New York entity co-founded in 1972 by Don Schlitten and Joe Fields.

    Selected lyrics

Collaborators

  • Percy Brice '', drummer, performed with Chocolate Williams after-hours at Minton's from 1953 to 1954.

    Family

Among his survivors are: his son, Tony Davis; a sister, Alberta Bloomer, a niece, Jennifer Riley; a nephew and 15 grandnieces and nephews.
; Parents
  • Mother: Jennie '', who was married to Robert Williams Sr., and, later, Edward Bolden
  • Father: Robert Williams Sr.
; Nephew

Selected compositions

  • "Three Nickels and a Dime", Chocolate Williams, 1st copy December 16, 1944, Class E unpublished 401371, Chicago: Mayo Music Corp

    "Three Chocolates" disambiguation

The Three Chocolates might wrongly associated with: