HOME ABOUT DISCOGRAPHY PRESS ROOM LIVE EVENTS GEAR WJ3 RECORDS
Willie Jones III

Willie Jones III

Jazz Drums


Photo of Me

Willie Jones III. Photography by Adriana Mateo


About

Willie Jones III is one of the world’s most celebrated drummers in modern jazz. In addition to leading his own quintet, Jones was the drummer in one of Roy Hargrove’s most famous quintets for eight years as well as one of two drummers in Hargrove’s powerhouse group, RH Factor. Jones has been featured on performances and tours with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and was featured in the ensembles of legendary and established jazz artists in history including Sonny Rollins, Ernestine Anderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cedar Walton, Frank Wess, Bill Charlap, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, and Hank Jones. In 2000, Jones founded WJ3 Records and has released 18 of his own CDs and those of his contemporaries. From January 2020 through March 2021, he self produced and released four titles on WJ3 Records, a significant and artistic feat during the shutdown due to the pandemic.

In August 2021, Jones will headline the Central Park SummerStage summer season with a performance entitled, “Willie Jones III: Celebrating the Charlie Parker Centennial.” Since 2015 he has been named consistently in DownBeat magazine's Annual Critics Polls in the Rising Star Drum and Rising Star Producer categories.

Jones is also committed to music education. Since 2009, he has served as drum professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, and has led masterclasses and workshops for students around the world both in person and online.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Jones was awarded a full scholarship to the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied under the tutelage of NEA Jazz Master Albert “Tootie” Heath. In 1992 Jones was a semifinalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drum Competition. He can be heard on a host of recordings, including Wynton Marsalis’ Motherless Brooklyn Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Horace Silver’s Jazz Has a Sense of Humor (Impulse!), Kurt Elling’s Grammy Award–nominated Night Moves (Concord), Roy Hargrove's Moment to Moment (Verve) and Eric Reed's Stand (WJ3). He has released a series of recordings as a leader and to critical acclaim. These titles include Fallen Heroes (2021), My Point Is... (2017), Groundwork (2015), and The Willie Jones III Sextet Plays The Music of Max Roach Live at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (2013), received high praise from both jazz critics and in top tier outlets such as the New York Times.
DISCOGRAPHY

Releases as Leader:

Willie Jones III, Fallen Heroes
My Point Is
Groundwork
Plays The Max Roach Songbook
Next Phase
Volume 3
Volume 2 ...Don't Knock the Swing'
Volume 1 ...Straight Swingin'

More at WJ3 Records >>

As a Support Player:

ARTIST TITLE LABEL YEAR
Isaiah J. Thompson Plays the Music of Buddy Montgomery WJ3 Records 2020
Teodross Avery Harlem Stories WJ3 Records 2020
Gregory Tardy If Time Could Stand Still WJ3 Records 2020
Rick Germanson Turquoise Twice WJ3 Records 2019
Ralph Moore Three Score WJ3 Records 2019
Justin Robinson At First Light WJ3 Records 2019
Steve Turre The Very Thought Of You Smoke Sessions 2018
Gerald Cannon Combinations Gerald Cannon 2017
Russell Malone Time For The Dancers HighNote 2017
Roxy Coss Restless Idealism Roxy Coss 2016
Russell Malone All About Melody HighNote 2016
Jacques Lesure Camaraderie WJ3 Records 2015
Steve Turre Spirit Man Smoke Sessions Records 2015
Russell Malone Love Looks Good On You High Note 2015
Peter Zak The Disciple Steeplechase 2015
Justin Robinson Alana's Fantasy Criss Cross Jazz 2014
Steve Turre The Bones Of Art HighNote 2013
Cyrus Chestnut Soul Brother Cool WJ3 2013
Dezron Douglas Live At Smalls Smalls Live 2013
Steve Davis Live At Smalls Smalls Live 2010
Cyrus Chestnut The Cyrus Chestnut Quartet WJ3 2012
Cedar Walton The Bouncer High Note 2011
Harold Mabern Somewhere Over The Rainbow Venus 2010
Cedar Walton Song of Delilah ~Harold plays Arlen Venus 2010
Houston Person Moment To Moment High Note 2010
Eric Reed & Cyrus Chestnut Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul Savant 2010
Eric Reed Stand! WJ3 2009
Cedar Walton Voices Within High Note 2009
Marcus Printup London Lullaby Steeple Chase 2009
Ernestine Anderson A Song For You High Note 2009
Joe Cohn Shared Contemplations Criss Cross 2009
Tom Guarna Wingspan Steeple Chase 2007
Houston Person Thinking of You High Note 2007
Kurt Elling Nightmoves Concord 2007
Roy Hargrove Nothing Serious Verve 2006
The R.H. Factor Distractions Verve 2006
Eric Reed Here MaxJazz 2006
Peter Zak For Tomorrow Steeple Chase 2006
Tom Scott Bebop United MCG 2006
Grant Stewart Grant Stewart +4 Criss Cross 2005
Roy Hargrove Hardgroove Verve Records 2003
Ryan Kisor The Sidewinder Video Arts Music 2003
Jon Mayer The Classics Reservoir Music 2003
Peter Beets New York Trio - Page Two Criss Cross 2002
Ryan Kisor Awakening Criss Cross 2002
Phil Woods with the Bill Charlap Trio Voyage Chiaroscuro Jazz 2001
Sherman Irby Black Warrior BWR 2001
Peter Beets New York Trio Criss Cross 2001
Ryan Kisor The Dream Criss Cross 2001
Jim Rotundi Reverence Criss Cross 2000
Roy Hargrove Moment To Moment Verve 2000
Horace Silver Jazz Has A Sense Of Humor Verve 1999
Ryan Kisor Kisor Video Arts Music 1999
Arturo Sandoval Hot House N2K 1998
Ryan Kisor Point Of Arrival Criss Cross 1998
Anthony Wilson Anthony Wilson Mama Records 1998
Kamau Daaood Leimert Park Mama Records 1998

CONTACT

Electronic Press Kit

Download Willie-Jones-3-epk.zip >>
- Biography PDF
- CD Cover
- Promo Photos

Press Clippings

Max Roach Songbook Live At Dizzys, Downbeat Review
Downbeat Feature
The NY Times Ft Greene Clinton Hill Blog Feature
NY Times Review
DownBeat Review
Jazz Times Review
Modern Drummer review
All About Jazz Review
Jazz Inside Feature
Jazz Inside Review
NY Times
San Diego Union Tribune