M.J. Williams is a Montana native, second generation trombonist and vocalist. She started sitting in with local jazz players at age sixteen.

In 1986 she received a Montana Arts Council fellowship grant to spend three months in New York City where she audited classes with Sheila Jordan at City College and went to clubs and concerts.

In 1987 she produced an album of jazz standards and was a featured performer in the New York City Women in Jazz Concert at the Universal Jazz Coalition. Later that year she performed at the National Women's Music Festival and moved to Seattle where she attended Cornish College and studied with Jay Clayton, Julian Priester and performed regularly with Randy Halbersdadt and Phil Sparks.

Since returning to Montana in 1991 she has been performing steadily, returning to Seattle for the Bumbershoot Festival with the trio Threeform with whom she co-produced two CDs.

She is a founding member of the Montana Artists Refuge, a residency program for visual artists, writers and musicians.

In 1999 the M.J. Williams Trio produced their first CD entitled "I Can Hear Your Heart."

In 2000 Williams performed on and co-produced a CD with New York composer/pianist/vocalist Cynthia Hilts. This CD was a pilot project focusing on rural/urban collaboration.

Since 2001 Williams has continued to work with The M.J. Williams Trio and The Williams, Roberti, White Trio, releasing the CD "Driving At Night" which was favorably reviewed in the Paris jazz magazine "Jazz Hot".

For the last three years Williams has performed in Paris at Le Sept Lezard, a legendary jazz club with The Jobic LeMasson Trio and The Joe Makholm Quintet. Williams continues to perform with her trio as well as The Kelly Roberti Sextet.

(Text borrowed from World Jazz Scene.)