The greater San Francisco-area jazz community was
quite tight in the late 1950s and early ’60s; not only did all the players know
each other, they likely all performed together at some point during their
careers. It’s therefore no surprise when I come across yet another musician who
worked with Guaraldi, even if only briefly.
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| Dalt Williams |
Today’s case in point is Dalt Williams, born and
raised in Vallejo, California, where his music interest initially found him
playing trumpet and tuba. He enlisted in the U.S. Army following high school,
and soon found himself in the 438th Army Band at Camp Stoneman, in Pittsburgh,
California. This was in the 1950s.
“They wanted to form a jazz group,” Dalt recalled,
during a recent chat, “and a friend of mine was studying theory with Jack
Weeks, well known for his work then with Cal Tjader. My friend suggested that I
tag along, and I said sure. I’d been playing sousaphone at the time, but thanks
to Jack, that’s how I got started on the bass.”
The bass subsequently became Dalt’s instrument of
choice. A few years later, after his military service concluded, he resumed his
formal education.
“I transferred to San Francisco State, and was
playing with groups in the city. I got a call from Vince one day, it probably
was some time in 1958, wanting to know if I was available, so I wound up
working a few gigs with his trio. I remember the first one very well: It was
for a dance at the NCO Club on Treasure Island, which still was a naval base
back then.”
Dalt is certain that a few other gigs followed,
but details are lost in the haze of more than half a century gone by. But his
memory of Vince remains fond.
“He was an amazing player, and a straight-ahead
guy. We’d have played standards at that dance; he’d call ’em, and we just
played ’em. It was a smooth fit; as a bass player, I remember it was easy to
follow along.”
Alas, no photos were taken of this meeting between
rising pianist and bassist.
The stint with Vince was brief, and Dalt soon
found himself a regular part of the Al Trobbe Trio. Graduation and a degree in
music education from San Francisco State followed, after which Dalt happily
embraced a 35-year career as a teacher. He never saw Vince again.
Even while teaching, Dalt found time to gig here
and there. Today he’s part of a combo that bills itself as Jazz for All Occasions, which promises “swingin’ jazz for your
event ... public or private, in the San Francisco Bay Area or Northern
California.” Jazz obviously remains a passion.
“The idea is to book the gigs,” he chuckles, “get
out, and have some fun!”
