5 Facts About Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite
- Williams first recorded the Zodiac Suite as a trio for Asch Records, the label that later became Folkways.
- The suite is an early showcase for her ambition as a composer, moving beyond straight-ahead jazz into more through-composed music.
- Each movement corresponds to a zodiac sign, blending astrological themes with jazz idioms.
- The trio format highlights her piano work and tight interplay with bass and drums.
- The recording predates her later, larger orchestral arrangements of the same suite.