A musical prodigy whose artistic journey began at age two. Brett Williams first played music by striking a mallet and hairbrush on kitchen pots and pans. He composed his first song at age four, played his first professional gig at age nine and released his first CD, Brett's Blues, in 2004 when he was 12. Two years later, in 2006, he released his second CD Piano Room, opened for national jazz artist David Sanborn at Hartwood Acres and had an audience with Wynton Marsalis at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He was equally busy in 2007, performing at the Byham Theatre in the Walt Maddox production of Wake up Your Dreams and for Bishop Desmond Tutu at Carnegie Music Hall. He also released his third CD, Searching.
In 2008, Brett Williams was selected for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band. In 2009, he became the youngest person to receive an August Wilson Center Fellowship. Other career highlights have included playing for national Christian recording artists Israel Houghton and BJ Putnam. In 2009, he was a part of the band formed for the multi-genre soul and jazz concert called Synthesis, held at the August Wilson Center in tribute to Chuck Cooper, along with Grammy-nominated producer Rex Rideout, Poogie Bell, Dwayne Dolphin, Sean Jones, Roby Edwards, and Juan Vasquez. In May of 2010, Brett released his latest and most recent CD, entitled Limitless, featuring Dwayne Dolphin, George Heid III, Evan Hertrick, and Jamar Cromwell.
Now 19, Brett Williams is a freshman at Duquesne University majoring in Music Performance. He plays with many musicians in Pittsburgh such as Dwayne Dolphin, Roger Humphries, and Sean Jones. He also frequently plays with many young upcoming jazz musicians, like himself, such as Benny Benack III, George Heid III, Miles Jackson, and Anton DeFade, and Julian Powell. Brett also plays with C.O.L. (Center of Life) and leads his own group, the Brett Williams Band.
Just recently, Brett participated and competed in the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival with C.O.L. which included: George Heid III, Anton DeFade, Gomeh Barack, Mark Jackovic, and Mike Stephenson. C.O.L. took 2nd place in the Open Combo Division and Brett won "Best Solo Performance".