Harold Ivory Williams Jr

Harold Ivory Williams, was an American jazzkeyboardist most known for working with Miles Davis, Michal Urbaniak, and the late Rev. James Cleveland.

Williams was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was named after his father, Bishop Harold I. Williams, D.D., who was the Senior prelate of the Mount Calvary Churches Of America and International Inc. from 1972 - 2009. He is the stepson to Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Shirley Caesar -Williams. Williams started playing piano at the age of 3, becoming an accomplished and sought-after pianist.

Raised in church where his grandmother, father and mother were the Pastors at one time or another, Williams was the church organist. He was often in demand all over the city, as well as up and down the East Coast. Williams appeared on the album, The Best Of James Cleveland and the Gospel Music Workshop of America.

He was heralded by many in the late 1960s - 80's as a musical genius and electronic wizard (long before technology became the norm), and was consequently revered as being ahead of his time. He played a very active role in the development of the Jazz Fusion Era introducing elements of Gospel and classical music to the mix as evidence on the Big Fun, Miles Davis album.

Equally proficient in jazz, gospel, and classical music, Williams is a former student of thePeabody Institute.

Williams has appeared as a solo artist at Carnegie Hall and has performed with Miles Davis,James Cleveland, George Duke, MFSB TSOP, Albertina Walker, David Liebman, Michal Urbaniak, and his wife, singer Urszula Dudziak, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and others while still a teenage prodigy Williams, on the verge of international success, was forced to stop due to a debilitating illness. He continue to play in church until his death in 2010.