Fess Williams led bands in both Chicago and New York in the 1920s and early 1930s. He seemed to model himself after Ted Lewis wearing a top hat and playing a slap tongue, gaspipe clarinet style and alto saxophone that is reminiscent of Lewis’ playing, but with often more interesting and creative results. Williams’ song “Hot Town” was the band’s biggest selling record and it is a really good Hot Jazz anthem. Fess also cut a record under the name of Fess Williams and his Joy Boys while leading a band at the Regal Theatre (4719 South Parkway Blvd.) in Chicago in 1928.

The Royal Flush band continued to play at the Savoy while he was in Chicago. Williams was also the uncle of modern jazz great Charles Mingus. Mingus invited his uncle to perform a set in his 1962 Town Hall concert in New York. Williams assembled a seven piece band that included some of Williams’ old band mates as well as members of Mingus’ band including Eric Dolphy. Williams’ demonstration of his “circular breathing” alto saxophone technique which allowed him to hold notes indefinitely was a real crowd pleaser. This concert is available on the Blue Note CD The Complete Town Hall Concert unfortunately it doesn’t include Williams’ portion of the show.

Thanks to Rene Greblo, Bob Palmer and Robert English for his help with the recordings on this page. 

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
A Few Riffs (Fess Williams)	4-17-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38064-A
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (From “Connie’s Hot Chocolates”) (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller / Harry Brooks)	9-20-1929	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 55929-3
All For Grits And Gravy (Sidney Easton)	7-10-1930	New York, New York	Victor 23025-A
Alligator Crawl (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	6-15-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1117 Brunswick 3589-B
Atlanta Black Bottom (Dickerson / Robinson)	11-18-1926	New York, New York	Vocalion A 1058 Vocalion 15492
Betsy Brown (George Temple)	5-16-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38062-B
Big Shot (Fess Williams / Hank Duncan)	5-15-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38128
Buttons (Stanley Bennett)	9-20-1929	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38095-B
Caroline Vocal Chorus, “Fess” Williams (Yellman / Squires)	12-3-1925	New York, New York	Gennett 3210-A
Caroline (Yellman / Squires)	5-6-1926	New York, New York	Okeh 8322
Dinah (Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young / Harry Akst)	7-31-1930	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23005-B
Do Shuffle (1) (Kenneth A. Roane)	4-22-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38064-B
Do Shuffle (3) (Kenneth A. Roane)	4-22-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38064-B
Everything’s O.K. With Me (Davis / Coots)	7-23-1930	New York, New York	Victor 23003-B
Everything’s O.K. With Me (Davis / Coots)	7-31-1930	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23003-B
Friction (Fess Williams)	4-22-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38056-A Bluebird B-6546-B
Gambler’s Blues (Moore / Baxter)	2-25-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1087
Goin’ To Getcha (Fess Williams)	12-6-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38106-B
Green River Blues (Arthur Schutt)	10-2-1925	New York, New York	Gennett 3182-B
Heebie Jeebies (Atkins / Jones)	10-1-1926	New York, New York	Brunswick 3351-B
Heebie Jeebies (Atkins / Jones)	10-1-1926	New York, New York	Vocalion 1054
Here ‘Tis (Fess Williams)	4-17-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38056-B
Her Smiling Face	12-6-1929	New York, New York	Victor unissued
High Fever (Joe Sanders)	11-18-1926	New York, New York	Vocalion B 1058
Hot Mama (Jelly James)	4-18-1930	New York, New York	Victor 22864-B
Hot Town (Fess Williams)	4-17-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38077-A Bluebird B-6431-B
Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider (Eddie Leonard)	7-23-1930	New York, New York	Victor 23005-A
I’m Feeling Devilish (Maceo Pinkhard)	4-18-1930	New York, New York	Victor V-38131-B
It’s Breaking My Heart To Keep Away From You (Romm / Squires)	6-8-1926	New York, New York	Gennett 3336-B Champion 15120-B
I Wasn’t Scared, But I Just Thought That I Had Better Go	2-25-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1087
Just To Be With You Tonight (Fusman / Samuels / Sandry)	7-31-1930	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 23003-A
Kentucky Blues (Walter Brown)	4-22-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38077
‘Leven-Thirty Saturday Night (Jess Kirkpatrick / Earl Burtnett / Bill Grantham)	4-18-1930	New York, New York	Victor V-38131-A
Make Me Know It (Williams / Squires)	5-6-1926	New York, New York	Okeh 3210
Make Me Know It (1) (singing by Fess Williams) (Williams / Squires)	5-24-1926	New York, New York	Harmony 189-H
Make Me Know It (2) (singing by Fess Williams) (Williams / Squires)	5-24-1926	New York, New York	Harmony 189-H
Messin’ Around (Johnny St Cyr / Doc Cooke)	10-1-1926	New York, New York	Vocalion 1054
Messin’ Around (Johnny St Cyr / Doc Cooke)	10-1-1926	New York, New York	Brunswick 3351-A
Musical Campmeeting (Fess Williams)	9-20-1929	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38095-A
My Pretty Girl	2-12-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1085
My Mamas In Town (2) (Panico / Hirsch / Nuzio)	5-24-1926	New York, New York	Harmony 189-H
My Mamas In Town (3) (Panico / Hirsch / Nuzio)	5-24-1926	New York, New York	Harmony 189-H
Nobody But My Baby Is Getting My Love	11-30-1926	New York, New York	Victor unissued
Number Ten	6-24-1927	New York, New York	Brunswick 3596-B
Ozark Blues (In Yale Blues Time)	6-15-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1117 Brunswick 3589-A
Playing My Saxophone (Fess Williams)	7-10-1930	New York, New York	Victor 24153-A
Phantom Blues	3-28-1927	New York, New York	Brunswick 3532-B Vocalion 15550
Razor Edge	6-24-1927	New York, New York	Brunswick 3596-A
Sell It (Fess Williams)	5-16-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38062-A
She’s Still Dizzy (George Temple)	4-18-1930	New York, New York	Victor 23025-B
Slide, Mr. Jelly Slide (Fess Williams)	12-6-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38106-A
Snag Nasty	5-15-1929	New York, New York	Victor V-38128
Some Other Time Vocal Chorus, “Fess” Williams (Davis / Squires)	12-3-1925	New York, New York	Gennett 3210-B
Sweet Savannah Sue (From “Connie’s Hot Chocolates”) (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller / Harry Brooks)	9-20-1929	Camden, New Jersey	Victor V-38085
Variety Stomp (Henderson / Green / Trent)	3-28-1927	New York, New York	Brunswick 3532-A
What Did Romie-O-Juliet	11-30-1926	New York, New York	Victor unissued
White Ghost Shivers	2-12-1927	New York, New York	Vocalion 1085
Wimmin – Aaah! (Bud Green / Harry Warren / Dan Dougherty)	2-19-1925	New York, New York	Gennett 3259-B
You Can’t Go Wrong (Fess Williams)	7-10-1930	New York, New York	Victor 24153-B
Ya Got To Know How To Love (Warren / Green)	6-8-1926	New York, New York	Gennett 3336-A Champion 15118-A

Artist	Instrument
Ralph Bedell	Drums
Ollie Blackwell	Banjo
Ralph Brown	Alto Saxophone
Emanuel Casamore	Tuba
Emanuel Clark	Trumpet
Henry Duncan	Piano
Felix Gregory	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
Bobby Holmes	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
David “Jelly” James	Trombone
Lockwood Lewis	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Frank Marvin	Vocals
Otto Mikell	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Andy Pendleton	Banjo
Walter “Fats” Pichon	Piano
Kenneth Roane	Trumpet
Perry Smith	Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
George Temple	Trumpet
Clinton Walker	Tuba
Professor Stanley Williams	Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Vocals, Leader

Thanks to Owen Miller and Robert English for their help with this page