Many know Al Williams as the owner of the Jazz Safari, which opened in the shadow of the Queen Mary in 1976. Some know him as the owner of Birdland West, which was hailed by critics, fans, and musicians as the best jazz club in the country. He's also known as the mastermind of Rainbow Productions which, for 24 years, has produced the Long Beach Jazz Festival and, more recently, the Long Beach Bayou Festival. Others know Al as the leader of the Al Williams Jazz Society, a straight ahead quintet that's played huge festivals across the country.

This Saturday, the Al Williams Jazz Society will be playing a rare local performance in the very intimate setting of the Seabird Jazz Lounge, located right next to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles on Broadway. The show kicks off at 9 PM, and is scheduled to run 'til 1 AM. This is a show not to be missed!

Mr Williams and I had an opportunity to speak and, in our conversation, we covered lots of ground, talking about playing with many legends, the evolution of music, and his planned tribute to the great American poet, Gil Scott-Heron, who passed away in May. The recording lasts about 20 minutes.