Drew Williams is a Kansas City-based saxophonist and composer who creates music rooted in the jazz tradition, but shaped by his work in film scores, contemporary classical, and indie rock. His music has earned wide acclaim—Downbeat Magazine praised it for creating “an enticingly fresh sound under the venerable big band umbrella,” and The New York Times called his album Hazel “a remarkable debut album.” 

Drew values flexibility, moving between straight-ahead jazz, composing for large ensembles, free improvisation, and scoring for film. He recently released Live at Weights and Measures, a set of jazz standards recorded live in the studio. He premiered new music for solo saxophone and electronics at the 2023 Kansas City Contemporary Music Festival, leading to the release of Wobble EP in 2024. Plastic Sax noted that it was “almost certainly one of the year’s most exciting statements by a locally based musician. He recently received a Pathways to Jazz Grant to help finance his upcoming album, Music for Big Band. He also recently completed a saxophone trio album Demons Hate Fresh Air, which is slated to be released in 2025. 

While living in New York City, Drew founded the eleven-piece ensemble Wing Walker Orchestra, in which he was bandleader, composer, and played bass clarinet. Downbeat Magazine listed their debut album Hazel as one of the best albums of 2019. Additionally, they performed at the Festival of New Trumpet Music, directed by Dave Douglas, from 2016 to 2019. Drew helped arrange five sets of music composed by guest trumpeters Shane Endsley, Ralph Alessi, Jason Palmer, Jonathan Finlayson, and Jaimie Branch, and performed alongside them with the WWO. He also produced a monthly concert series at Three’s Brewing called Music for Wing Walkers and hosted a weekly podcast featuring some of the top jazz musicians on the scene, including Allison Miller and Ryan Keberle. 

A dedicated educator, Drew brings nearly two decades of teaching experience and a wide-ranging musical background to his work with students. He most recently taught at the University of Kansas, where he directed Jazz Ensemble II, coached jazz combos, and taught private lessons in saxophone and composition. He is also an active guest clinician, presenting workshops and masterclasses at institutions across the country, including the University of Nevada–Reno, Truman State University, and Idyllwild Arts High School.

Drew holds a D.M.A. in Music Composition from the University of Kansas, a M.M. in Jazz Studies from New York University, and a B.M. in Saxophone Performance from Truman State University.