Bakari Williams is a professional, multifaceted bassist born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Bakari is currently pursuing training through higher education at Michigan State University while majoring in Music Performance for Double Bass. 

 

While living in Dallas, Bakari attended the premier performing arts school in Dallas, Booker T. Washington HSPVA where he played in both the school symphony as well as jazz combos. During his tenure at the arts magnet, Bakari was able to accomplish many feats in both classical and jazz playing including making playing in the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, making first chair in the TMEA top Symphony Orchestra, being chosen to play on the Herbie Hancock Institute All-Star Jazz tour, Young Arts recognition, and winning the Monterey Jazz Festival small ensemble competition to play in the Monterey Jazz Festival.

 

Bakari was also a part of the Dallas Symphony's Young Strings Program where he received training from Dwight Shambley of the DSO, the program's founder. While in the Young Strings Program, Bakari was able to amass lots of playing experience as well as given opportunities for scholarships and other programs. Bakari was also under the instruction of Fredrick Sanders, formerly of Jazz at Lincoln Center, while studying jazz in high school. Though he has only been playing jazz since his sophomore year, Bakari has taken leaps and bounds in his playing earning recognition as a Merit Scholar for the young arts program in jazz bass.

 

While at Michigan State University, Bakari is playing in both the Symphony Orchestra ensemble as well as Jazz ensembles in the school. He is receiving instruction from Kevin Brown, principal Bassist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, as well as living jazz legend Rodney Whitaker, formerly of Jazz at Lincoln Center. While at university, Bakari's playing has taken exponential growth due to the high level of training, the high level of playing of his peers, and his work ethic to constantly want to improve in his playing. 

 

In addition to Classical and Jazz, Bakari plays with many of his peers and other groups around both Dallas and East Lansing covering varying genres from pop to funk to rock and gospel. Though he has not had a formal lessons teacher for electric bass, Bakari has taken into his own hands the responsibility of getting better in this facet of his playing as well to be able to play any gig that is asked of him at the highest level possible.