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Mary Lou Williams Discography

This discography is by no means complete. It is simply a compilation of the "33" and "45" record albums as well as compact discs i've found through the years. As time permits, copy of each recording's song list and musicians will be included, as well as all significant liner notes from those recordings currently out-of-print in the interests of making the wealth of information they contain available to people interested in learning more about the First Lady of Jazz Piano, Mary Lou Williams. (Where recording dates are known they follow immediately after the record title. Undated records include the copyright symbol, `©', preceeding the year's date.)

See Also:

• Compositions and Records/CDs, compiled by Hans-Joachim Schmidt
• Recordings & Readings, compiled by Rev. Peter F. O’sBrien, S.J.
• allmusic.com
• discogs.com

	33 rpm Records
	33s including one selection or more of MLW
	45 rpm Records
	Compact Discs
	CDs including one selection or more of MLW

 

33 rpm Records

• Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy -- Instrumentally Speaking (1936-1942)
  MCA Records, MCA 1308
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1936-1953
  First Lady of Piano with Edmund Hall, Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins, Bill Coleman, Kenny Dorham, Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy.
  Giants of Jazz, LPJT 20 (Milan, Italy)
  
  
• The Mary Lou Williams Trio, 1944, Roll 'Em, March 7, 1944
  Audiophile Records, AP-8
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, The Asch Recordings 1944-1947
  Compiled and Edited by Peter O'Brien, S.J.
  Folkways Records, FA 2966 (2 LP box set)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams' Trio, Zodiac Suite, 1945
  Folkways Records, FTS 32844
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams in London, 1953
  Crescendo Records, CNP 9029
  
  
• The Mary Lou Williams Quartet featuring Don Byas, 1953
  Crescendo Records, CNP 9030
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, The First Lady of Piano, New York 1955, March 8 & 10, 1955
  Jazz Anthology, 30 JA 5187
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Presents (Black Christ of the Andes), October/November 1963
  Mary Records, M 101 (Released by Folkways Records as FJ 2843)
  
  
• mary lou williams Black Christ of the andes, October/November 1963
  MPS 15020, Distribution Musidisc-Europe (Paris, France)
  
  
• Music For Peace, Mary Lou Williams and her friends, 1969-1970
  Mary Records, Mary MG 7
  
  
• The History Of Jazz, Mary Lou Williams, 1970
  Music and narrations by Mary Lou Williams, Edited and Compiled by Peter F. O'Brien, S.J.
  Folkways Records, FJ 2860, &#!60; 1978
  
  
• Mary Lou's Mass, 1970 & 1972
  Mary Records, M 102
  
  
• From The Heart, Mary Lou Williams -- Solo Pianist, 1971
  Chiaroscuro Records, Jazz Piano Masters Series, CR 103
  
  
• Zoning -- Mary Lou Williams, 1974
  Mary Records, M 103
  
  
• Free Spirits, Mary Lou Williams Trio, July 8, 1975
  Inner City Records, IC 2043
  SteepleChase Records, SCS-1043 (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  
  
• Live at the Cookery, November, 1975
  Chiaroscuro Records, CR 146
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams & Cecil Taylor, EMBRACED, April 17, 1977
  Pablo Records, 2620-108
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, My Mama Pinned A Rose On Me, December 27, 1977
  Pablo Records, 2310 819
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Solo Recital, Montreux Jazz Festival, 1978, July 16, 1978
  Pablo Records, 2308-218

Records including one selection or more of Mary Lou Williams:

• Rehearsal Vol. 1 with Mary Lou Williams, (Footnotes to Jazz, Vol. 3)
  Folkways Records, FJ 2292, © 1950
  • Little Joe
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Frank Newton, trumpet;
    Edmund Hall, clarinet;
    Vic Dickenson, trombone;
    Al Lucas, bass;
    Jack Parker, drums.
  
  
  
• Jazz Giants: The Piano Players Vol. 1, 1955
  Trip Jazz, TLP-5504
  • Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
  • Carioca
  • Tire, Tire L'Aiguille
    
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Buddy Banks, bass;
    Jean Louis Viale, drums.
    Recorded Paris, 1954.
  
  
  
• Masters of the Modern Piano (1955-1966)
  Verve Records, VE-2-2514
  • Zodiac Suite (Virgo-Libra-Aries)
  • Carioca
    
    Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra featuring:
    Mary Lou Williams (piano)
    Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Ermet Perry, Carl Warwick, Talib Daawad (trumpet)
    Melba Liston, Al Grey, Ray Connor Billy Mitchell, Benny Bolson (trombone)
    Jimmy Powell, Ernie Henry (alto saxophone)
    Pee Wee Moore (baritone saxophone)
    Paul West (bass)
    Charlie Persip (drums)
    Recorded at Newport Jazz Festival, July 6, 1957.

 

45 rpm Records

• Mary Lou Williams and Group, Featuring Leon Thomas, vocalist
  Mary Records, TK4M-1973
  1. "CHIEF NATOMA FROM TACOMA"
  2. "JOE"
  
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams and Group, Featuring Leon Thomas, vocalist
  Mary Records, TK4M-1975
  1. "PITTSBURGH"
  2. "YOU KNOW BABY"
  
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Quartet
  Mary Records, Vocal: Sonny Henry, MA-5
  1. "LET'S DO THE FROGGY BOTTOM"
  2. "JESUS IS THE BEST"
  
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Quintet
  Mary Records, MA-6
  1. "Willis"
  2. "The Credo"

 

Compact Discs

• Andy Kirk, 1936-1937
  Classics Records, Classics 573 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Andy Kirk, 1937-1938
  Classics Records, Classics 581 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Andy Kirk, 1938
  Classics Records, Classics 598 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Andy Kirk, 1939-1940
  Classics Records, Classics 640 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Andy Kirk, 1940-1942
  Classics Records, Classics 681 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Andy Kirk & Mary Lou Williams, Mary's Idea, 1936-1941
  Decca Jazz, MCA Records, GRD-622
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1927 - 1940
  Classics Records, Classics 630 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams -- Key Moments, 1929-1940
  Topaz Jazz, TPZ 1016 (Pavilion Records, Ltd, E. Sussex, England, Made in Germany)
  
  
• The Mary Lou Williams Trio, Roll 'Em, 1944
  Solo Art, ASCD-43
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1944
  Classics Records, Classics 814 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1944 - 1945
  Classics Records, Classics 1021 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Zodiac Suite, Spring, 1945
  Folkways/Smithsonian Recordings, SF 40810
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams: the zodiac suite, the complete town hall concert of december 31, 1945
  Mary Lou Williams with her jazz big band and symphonic orchestra featuring Ben Webster
  Vintage Jazz Classics, VJC-1035
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1944 - 1945
  Classics Records, Classics 1021 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1945 - 1947
  Classics Records, Classics 1050 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, 1949 - 1951
  Classics Records, Classics 1260 (The Classics Chronological Series, France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, The London Sessions, January 23, 1953
  Vogue, 74321115162 (France)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, I made you love Paris, 1954 & January 14, 1954
  Gitanes Jazz Productions, 013 141-2
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Lady Piano, 1955
  Black Bird, Jazz Workshop S.L.
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Presents Black Christ of the Andes, 1964
  Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, SFW CD 40816
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Nite Life, 1971
  Chiaroscuro, CR(D) 103
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Zoning, 1974
  Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings, SF 40811
  
  
• Free Spirits, Mary Lou Williams Trio, July 8, 1975
  SteepleChase Productions, SCCD-31043 (Klampenborg, Denmark)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Live at the Cookery, November, 1975
  Chiaroscuro Records, CR(D) 146
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Live at the Keystone Corner, May 6, 1977
  HighNote, HCD 7097
  
  
• Mary Lou Williamsa, My Mama Pinned A Rose On Me",, December 27, 1977
  Pablo Records, OJCCD-1108-2 (2310819)
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Solo Recital, Montreux Jazz Festival, July 16, 1978
  Pablo, OJCCD-962-2 (2308-218)
  
  
• Marian McPartland's PIANO JAZZ with guest Mary Lou Williams, October 8, 1978
  The Jazz Alliance/Piano Jazz Series, TJA-12019
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams Trio at Rick's Cafe Americain, November 14, 1979
  Storyville, STCD 8285

CDs including one selection or more of Mary Lou Williams:

• Boogie Woogie Masters
  Classic Jazz, CDCD 1067
  • Mr. Freddie Blues
    Mary Lou Williams, piano
  
  
  
• Forty Years of Women in Jazz, A Double Disc Feminist Retrospective
  Jass Records, JASS CD-9/10
  • Night Life
    Mary Lou Williams, solo piano
    Chicago, April, 1930
  • Zonky
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Earl Thompson, trumpet;
    Buddy Miller, Dick Wilson, reeds;
    Floyd Guitar Smith, guitar;
    Booker Collins, bass;
    Ben Thigpen, drums.
    New York, January, 1940
  
  
  
• First Ladies of Jazz
  Savoy Jazz, ZDS 1202
  • Mary Lou Blues
  • Tea For Two
  • Scratchin' In The Gravel
  • Zonky
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Earl Thompson, trumpet;
    Buddy Miller, Dick Wilson, reeds;
    Floyd Guitar Smith, guitar;
    Booker Collins, bass;
    Ben Thigpen, drums.
    New York, January, 1940
  
  
  
• Atlantic Jazz -- Piano
  Atlantic Jazz, 81707-2
  • In The Purple Grotto
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Carl Pruitt, bass;
    Bill Clark, drums.
    New York City, March 7, 1951
  
  
  
• ladies of jazz: mary lou williams, barbara carroll
  Kock Jazz, KOC-CD-8528
  • You're The Cream In My Coffee
  • Surrey With The Fringe On Top
  • Pagliacci
  • Opus Z
  • From This Moment On
  • In The Purple Grotto
  • 'S Wonderful
  • Mary's Waltz
  • Would I Love You
  • My First Date With You
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Carl Pruitt, bass;
    Bill Clark, drums.
    New York City, March 7, 1951
  
  
  
• Mary Lou Williams, Gerry Wiggins -- "On Vogue"
  Vogue, 74321115052 (Paris, France)
  • O.W.
  • Mary's Waltz
  • Just You, Just Me
  • Lullaby Of The Leaves
  • Moonglow
  • Why
  • N.M.E.
  • Blues
    Mary Lou Williams, piano;
    Don Byas, trumpet;
    Buddy Banks, bass;
    Gerard Pochonet, drums.
    Paris, December 2, 1953