John Ellis Dowell Williams, known as Jed Williams (12 June 1952 – 10 November 2003), was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

journalist and the founder and artistic director of the

Brecon Jazz Festival The Brecon Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Brecon, Wales. Normally staged in early August, it has played host to a range of jazz musicians from across the world. Created in 1984 by local enthusiasts – musicians, promoters a ...

. Williams was born in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

and educated at the Howardian Grammar School. By the time he left school, he was already a semi-professional jazz drummer. He played as a support musician for touring performers such as

Wild Bill Davison William Edward Davison (January 5, 1906 – November 14, 1989), nicknamed "Wild Bill", was an American jazz cornetist. He emerged in the 1920s through his work playing alongside Muggsy Spanier and Frank Teschemacher in a cover band where they ...

and

Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All Ab ...

. In the 1980s, he became one of the organisers of the Welsh Jazz Society, and in 1983 became organiser of the Brecon Jazz Festival. In 1987, he opened The Four Bars Inn jazz club in

Cardiff, Wales Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

, and together with vocalist/trombonist Mike Harries formed the Inn's house band The Root Doctors.Allen, Gavin, "Brecon Jazz Festival has to sober up to survive" ''Wales Online'' (5 August 2009)
/ref>"Buckingham Palace hits right note with jazz fans", ''London Evening Standard'' (3 August 2009)
In 1991, he founded the magazine '' JazzUK'', which he also edited.

References

1952 births 2003 deaths Journalists from Cardiff Welsh jazz drummers {{Wales-writer-stub