Music lives atLaRose Jazz Club in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. That's where sax player and local jazz legend Tony Williams has a steady Monday night gig. WRTI’sMerideeDuddleston spends time with Tony Williams - now in his 80s - and finds out how this mainstay of the Philadelphia jazz scene keeps it fresh today and pursues his vision for tomorrow.
An educator, musician and mentor, Williams has been part of the jazz scene in Philadelphia and beyond for decades. His passion for jazz comes through as he blows on the saxophone in his Mount Airy home. Williams' humble altruism has also spilled out into the neighborhood. In the late 1970s, he spearheaded the formation of a number of teen jazz bands, including “Pieces of a Dream,” and the “Stenton Diner Teenage Jazz Band,” made up of teenagers from Germantown and Mount Airy. And for over 35 years his Mount Airy Cultural Center has built a bridge to the next generation - through jazz.