A friend passed away recently. James Williams was a pianist, composer, arranger, educator, producer and passionate advocate for jazz. He embodied the spirit of jazz and, in fact, all forms of black music, and his love and commitment to the music itself far surpassed any desire for personal recognition. James died on July 19. He was 53.

I first heard of James in early 1979 when, as a novice jazz listener, I heard to his recording "Everything I Love." Something hooked me. Certainly part of it was his playing style, which reflected the myriad of musical influences he heard growing up in Memphis, a rich mixture of gospel, blues, soul and jazz. But a big part of it was the joyful and spiritual nature of his music. This became even more apparent to me when I met James at the 1983 UNH Jazz Festival, where he was hired to accompany clarinetist Eddie Daniels. Watching James perform, I became cognizant of how, even in his most soft and reflective moments, his music was about joyful and positive creativity. After meeting him that day, I didn't see James again for over a year. When I did run into him, it was at one of the myriad used record shops in Boston. That he greeted me warmly and immediately by name was very humbling.

James played with many of the greats in jazz: Milt Jackson, Elvin Jones and Clark Terry, to name a few. He came to UNH several times over the last 20 years. It was always a treat to watch him work or just hang out with the students. His passion for passing on the language of jazz was very deep. And he took a strong interest in how the students progressed. But, now he's gone, a victim of liver cancer though he never smoked or drank (I never ever heard him swear).

A friend passed away recently. But, his spirit lives on, in the recordings he made, in the friendships he developed, and in the students he worked with. That's a fine legacy to have. And it's a strong testament to the kind of person James Williams was.