Williams, Norman

Bassist. Norman Edgar Williams born June 7, 1928 in Washington, D.C.; died September 8, 2004 in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Attended Roosevelt High School. Served in the U.S. Army (1946-1947) and then attended University of Maryland (class of 1952).

Played with various artists at local clubs including the Brown Derby, Stevens Cafe, and Club La Comeur in the early 1950s.

Williams was a member of the trios of Gene Bonnike and Bill Potts, both of which worked regularly at Olivia Davis’ Patio Lounge in 1955 and 1956. He appears on recordings made there with Lester Young in late 1956 and shortly thereafter under his own leadership.

In the mid 1960s he worked at the Charles Hotel under the leadership of Kenny Fulcher and Slide Harris and was part of Tommy Gwaltney’s original house band at Blues Alley in 1965.

Outside of jazz, Williams was the founder of Capitol Ice Cream Wholesalers.

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