Big Sam (musician)

Sammie 'Big Sam' Williams is a trombonist and band leader from New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been a member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and leads Big Sam's Funky Nation.

"Sammie Williams" redirects here. For the American actor, see Sammy Williams. For the American football player, see Sammy Williams (American football).

Sammie "Big Sam" Williams
Big Sam Williams, Jeff Albert, Steve Turre, and Kirk Joseph
Big Sam Williams, Jeff Albert, Steve Turre, and Kirk Joseph
Background information
BornNew Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Trombone
Years active2000–present
LabelsHypersoul
Websitebigsamsfunkynation.com

Career
Big Sam in 2012

In his youth, he studied with saxophonist Kidd Jordan and at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. In his teens, Williams was a founding member of the Stooges Brass Band and joined the Dirty Dozen, allowing him to play with Karl Denson, Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic, and James Brown. After one year with the Dirty Dozen, he began a side project broadening his musical ambitions. In 2006, he played with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint on their album The River in Reverse and tour.

Big Sam's Funky Nation became his main band, which performed at Bonnaroo, Gathering of the Vibes, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Voodoo Music Experience, South By Southwest, and on the television show Austin City Limits. Big Sam's Funky Nation is primarily a funk and rock band that has elements of traditional jazz, contemporary jazz, acid jazz, dance, hard rock, and punk.

Williams is interviewed on screen and appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz.[1] In the film, Big Sam's Funky Nation performs "Bah Duey Duey" with guest Troy Andrews.[2]

Williams had a recurring role in the HBO series Treme.[3] The series followed residents of New Orleans as they tried to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Katrina.

Williams proposed to his wife on stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 4, 2014.[4] In 2014 he played on the Durango Blues Train with other blues artists.

Awards and honors
  • 2003 OffBeat Awards, Best Emerging Band
  • 2005 Big Easy Award, Best Funk Band
  • 2006 Offbeat Awards, Best Funk/R&B Band
  • 2009 Big Easy Music Award, Best Funk Band of 2008
  • 2009 Jam Cruise Golden Mic Award
  • 2009 Louisiana Division of the Arts Fellowship
  • 2009 Where Y' at magazine, Best of the Big Easy's Reader's Pick: Best R&B Band
  • 2011 Jam Cruise 9 Golden Mic Award
  • 2012 Jam Cruise 10 Golden Mic Award
  • 2014 Big Easy Awards, Best Rock Album
  • 2016 Where Y' at magazine, Best New Orleans Band

Discography
  • Birth of a Nation (2003)
  • Take Me Back (2006)
  • Peace Love & Understanding (2008)
  • King of the Party (HyperSoul, 2010)
  • Funky Donkey (2012)
  • Evolution (2014)
  • Feet on the Floor (2015)
  • Songs in the Key of Funk, Vol. One (2018)
  • No More Shakes (2020)

References

Specific

  1. "IAJE What's Going On". Jazz Education Journal. Manhattan, Kansas: International Association of Jazz Educators. 37 (5): 87. April 2005. ISSN 1540-2886. ProQuest 1370090.
  2. Make It Funky! (DVD). Culver City, California: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2005. ISBN 9781404991583. OCLC 61207781. 11952.
  3. "HBO: Treme: Ep: 08: All On A Mardi Gras Day: Inside Treme". HBO. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  4. Brasted, Chelsea (May 4, 2014). "Big Sam Williams proposes to his girlfriend onstage during New Orleans Jazz Fest performance". nola.com. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
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