Erion Williams

Erion Williams is an award-winning saxophonist, educator, composer, and clinician whose career spans over two decades on stages across the world. A proud native of New Orleans, widely regarded as the birthplace of jazz, Erion brings the spirit, soul, and tradition of his hometown to every performance and classroom. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he continues to serve as a bridge between cultural heritage and contemporary musical expression.

Erion is best known for his work as a longtime member of the internationally acclaimed brass ensemble The Soul Rebels, blending New Orleans brass band tradition with elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, and soul. With The Soul Rebels, he performed over 250 shows annually and appeared on many of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Newport Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, SXSW, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and prominent Bay Area festivals such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, and San Jose Jazz Festival.

Through The Soul Rebels, Erion has shared the stage with a wide range of iconic artists across genres, including The Rolling Stones, Nas, Metallica, Green Day, and Katy Perry, as well as world-renowned jazz artists such as Jon Batiste, Terence Blanchard, Trombone Shorty, Robert Glasper, the late Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Donald Harrison, and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah.

His high-profile appearances include a recent performance with the World Street Brass Band at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Fests in Mexico, as well as with The Soul Rebels at the Super Bowl LIX Pregame Show, NBA halftime shows, WWE SmackDown, and TED Talk Vancouver. His screen credits include appearances in the films Girls Trip and Seeking Justice, as well as commercials for Sony 360 Audio and WWE WrestleMania, all with The Soul Rebels.

In addition to his ensemble work, Erion’s solo career continues to flourish. He is featured on the soundtrack for the Disney World ride “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” recorded alongside Randy Newman and PJ Morton. His soulful sound can also be heard on PJ Morton’s remake of “The Sweetest Thing” by Ms. Lauryn Hill. Erion has been featured as a soloist performing the National Anthem for the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) and on opening day at The Fairgrounds Race Course (New Orleans).

Alongside his performance career, Erion is a dedicated educator who brings the same energy and authenticity into the classroom. He is a Saxophone Coach with the Stanford Jazz Workshop Giant Steps Big Band (South). He also currently teaches middle school music in the Bay Area and serves as a private instructor and clinician. In New Orleans, he served as woodwind instructor at the Trombone Shorty Academy, where he mentored students in New Orleans brass band traditions, and also taught with The Roots of Music, a nationally recognized marching band program founded by Derrick Tabb of the Grammy Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band.

Erion has led clinics and workshops at renowned events and institutions including the Jazz Education Network Conference (JEN), Banlieues Bleues Festival in Paris, and the Molde Jazz Festival in Norway. His teaching philosophy fuses professional experience with culturally responsive pedagogy, creating a learning environment rooted in creativity, excellence, and cultural pride.

Erion earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Xavier University of Louisiana, where he performed in the university’s symphonic band and jazz ensemble. His time at Xavier deepened his musical foundation in both classical and jazz traditions and cultivated his lifelong commitment to using music as a tool for expression, education, and empowerment.

Deeply rooted in the New Orleans brass band tradition, Erion’s musical journey began with local legends like the Mahogany Brass Band and The Stooges Brass Band, and rose to global acclaim with The Soul Rebels. His firsthand experience in this living tradition fuels his passion for education, and now serves as the foundation for the insights and energy he brings to Stanford Jazz Workshop. Through his teaching, Erion honors the lineage of New Orleans brass while inspiring students to carry it forward with their own voices.