Two nights ago, bassist Ben Williams, winner of the 2009 Thelonious Monk Competition sold out The Harlem Stage Gatehouse on the heels of the release of his debut album, State of Art (Concord Jazz).

The New York Times‘ Nate Chinen wrote in the Jazz Listings for June 24 – 30:

“You may know Mr. Williams, a bassist, for his sterling sideman work, or for winning the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2009. Now you can know him for “State of Art,” his polished debut, due out on Tuesday on Concord. It’s a portrait of modern jazz at the crossroads of pop and R&B…”

That was followed up by the Times’ Ben Ratliff who wrote in The Week Ahead:

“The jazz bassist Ben Williams, originally from Washington but living in Harlem, won the Thelonious Monk Competition two years ago…He’s serious, with excellent rhythm, tone, and energy. The record — summery, cruising jazz-funk with a Fender Rhodes — improves toward the middle of each track, when the band members interact and start to show what they can really do…”

The Washington City Paper’s Mike West wrote an album review of State of Art but his most impressive words for Williams came in his weekly Set List:

“It might not be out of line to suggest that Ben Williams is the face of a new golden age in D.C. jazz. The New Yorker-by-way-of-Michigan Park came up working with local bass gurus Michael Bowie, Herman Burney, and Carolyn Kellock before moving onto Michigan State University, Juilliard’s Jazz Studies program, and finally the Big Apple jazz scene, where he played with edgy young musicians like Stefon Harris and Marcus Strickland, as well as artists like Jacky Terrasson and Terrell Stafford. Then he won the 2009 Thelonious Monk Competition for bass, and immediately graduated from insider’s favorite to ‘The One To Watch’….This one is the event of the week.”

The Washington Examiner called him “an original” and “a natural bass player.”

CapitalBop.com’s Giovanni Russonello interviewed Williams and previewed his show thusly:

“Williams’ acoustic bass playing is warm, earthy and precise – not to mention richly lyrical; it’s no wonder he’s a sideman for some of the top names in the game, including Jacky Terrason and Marcus Strickland. As a bandleader, he’s a crusader for the contemporary, playing cards from throughout the deck of African-American popular music. On the album…you’ll find grooving original compositions, a tune dedicated to a hard-bop great but narrated by an emcee, a Woody Shaw classic infused with go-go rhythms and covers of songs by Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Not to mention one glistening, dissected version of a jazz standard.”

The Washington Post raved:

“Ben Williams is not your usual 20-something jazz musician. Unlike so many of his peers, the bassist doesn’t try to stuff 16th notes into each solo, instead filling them with melodic, carefully shaped phrases.”

This past weekend, Williams made a homecoming to his native Washington, DC for his debut as a bandleader at Bohemian Caverns along with Marcus Strickland on tenor sax, Christian Sands on piano, Gilad Hekselman on guitar and John Davis on drums with special guest percussionist Etienne Charles on djembe and other percussion on Saturday night. Williams had packed shows both nights.

Ben Williams & Sound Effect perform July 19 at 92YTriBeCa as part of the The Checkout Live Series hosted by Josh Jackson of WBGO-FM Newark. At 8:00 p.m. 200 Hudson St. New York, NY / http://www.92y.org/Tribeca