Big Sam (musician)

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Big Sam (Sammie Williams) is a trombonist and band leader from New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been a member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and currently leads Big Sam's Funky Nation. In youth he studied with educator and saxophonist Kidd Jordan and at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Playing with the Dirty Dozen allowed him to meet and play with other touring bands and musicians such as Karl Denson, Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic and James Brown. After one year with the Dirty Dozen Williams began a side project broadening his musical ambitions. Over the following two years it would become his main band with weekly New Orleans gigs, Big Sam's Funky Nation. Funky Nation is primarily a funk and jazz brass band (with guitars) that can also have elements of traditional jazz, contemporary jazz, acid jazz and even punk.

Williams learned only in adulthood that he is the great-grandson of Buddy Bolden, the famed New Orleans cornetist.

In September of 2006 Williams married long-time associate Shanekah Peterson, a former fellow student at NOCCA and owner of the New Orleans club, The Funky Butt.

[edit] Selected Discography

  • Birth of a Nation - Big Sam's Funky Nation 2003
  • Take Me Back - Big Sam's Funky Nation 2006

[edit] References

[edit] External links