Kebbi Williams and WolfPack ATL Sounding the Horns
Georgia's Kebbi Williams is an original member of the Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band, mighty blues-rock powerhouses who have been steadily touring to critical acclaim for the better part of a decade. On his own, Williams helms Wolfpack ATL, a horn-heavy collective of some of the area's sharpest jazz, funk and blues musicians. Voted "Best Band to Blow the Roof Off the Joint" by Creative Loafing, Wolfpack ATL is a tour de force onstage, captivating audiences with their musicianship, enthusiasm and dedication to their craft, and ensuring that everybody within earshot has a thoroughly funky good time.
Williams has music in his blood: he got his first music lessons from his father, Earl, a multi-instrumentalist who plays bass, banjo, harmonica, flute and more – and his uncle Milan, a founding member of the Commodores, wrote some of the band's classic hits, among them "Machine Gun" and “Brickhouse.” Williams, an Atlanta native, earned undergraduate and Masters degrees in Jazz Studies from Howard University.
A virtuoso on the saxophone, Williams has performed with some of the greats of our time, among them OutKast, Me’Shell Ndegeocello, Oteil Burbidge and Mos Def. Recently, he was spotted rocking an ATLiens jacket as part of a four-piece horn section bringing the funk during Big Boi's performance at the Super Bowl 2019 halftime show.
In 2010, Williams founded Music in the Park Atlanta as a way to ensure equal access to live music and diverse cultural experiences for all the people of his community. Through the foundation, Williams has been encouraging young musicians and helping connect them with professionals for mentoring purposes.
In the fall, Music in the Park presents a music showcase meant to highlight the historic West End and all it has to offer. The series starts Sept. 29, 2019, in association with Atlanta Streets Alive, and then Oct. 18-19, 2019, the MITP Festival takes place in partnership with Atlanta BeltLine.
For Williams, music is a safe haven, a creative outlet and a way to create joy, and he's committed to giving back as much of that as he can, whether it be via organizing, fundraising or showcasing his natural-born talents onstage.
