James Williams (March 8, 1951 – July 20, 2004) was an American jazz pianist. 　　James Williams was born March 8, 1951 in Memphis, Tennessee. He began his formal piano studies at age 13, and was subsequently an organist at Eastern Star Baptist Church in Memphis, a position he held for six years. He earned a B.S. in Music Education at Memphis State University, where he also formed solid friendships with fellow Memphis pianists Mulgrew Miller and Donald Brown. A devotee of the late Memphis piano giant Phineas Newborn, Jr., James took time to delve into his hometown's rich jazz heritage, associating with pianist Harold Mabern, bassists Jamil Nasser and saxophonists George Coleman and Frank Strozier, among others.