Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, it was no surprise that Samuel "SavoirFaire" Williams cut his improvisational teeth at local Jazz sessions. His first performance was at age 5 on stage at Chicago Symphony Center's Orchestra Hall as one of 25 special Suzuki students hand-picked by Betty Haig to perform at the hallowed hall. SavoirFaire never lost his passion for the violin even when his family could not afford the best instruments. Instead of giving up he forged ahead, winning local talent shows and receiving scholarships to study with renowned teachers, such as violinist/composer Harold Geller (of the Galamian lineage) and violist Richard Ferrin (a veteran Section Violist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and winning the prestigious Interlochen award, to study at Interlochen.
Prodigy is a word that was avoided by the Williams' family because of their fervent Christian humility; however, his life and musical career have been nothing short of miraculous. SavoirFaire's music and improvisation possesses a quality that is steeped in spirituality. Classically trained, his skill and oneness with his instrument has allowed him to grace the stages of many of the region's world renowned performance venues, such as Fred Andersons Velvet Lounge, The Green Mill, The Chicago Jazz Showcase, Symphony Center, and Pops For Champagne. SavoirFaire continues to inspire audiences by commiting himself to the evolution of the creative music genre called jazz, surely securing a place among the great Chicago improvisational musicians of the past and present. As a member of AACM, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, Savoir has honed his craft alongside some of the world's greatest musicians. He has exchanged musical ideas with notables such as Von Freeman, Roscoe Mitchell, Kenny Burrell, Ari Brown, Fred Anderson, Johnny Frigo, Willie Pickens, Larry Grey and more. Only a handfull of bonified jazz violinists even exist, and even fewer that have galvanized and continue to cultivate the Chicago sound. SavoirFaire is proud to be one of them.
