Members
- Raymond Williams, Sr. - Trumpeter, Composer, Arranger, Educator
- Ricardo Pascal - Tenor Saxophonist
- David Harris - Trombone
- Jason Butler - Piano
- Martin Masakowski - Bass
- Stephen Gordon - Drums
Influences
Jackie McLean, Ellis Marsalis, Earl Turbinton, Hotep Galeta, Rene McLean, Barry Harris, Dr. Micheal White, Leroy Jones, Greg Stafford, Wendell Brunious,
About Dr. Rackle And The Sound Griots
Raymond “Dr. Rackle” Williams Sr. is a New Orleans–based trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader whose music emerges from the living traditions of the city while speaking boldly in a contemporary voice. As a teenager, Williams studied under Ellis Marsalis at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he was deeply introduced to the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and the broader continuum of jazz, American classical music, and Black American musical traditions. It was under Marsalis’s guidance that Williams was inspired to pursue the life of a professional musician.
That early foundation led Williams to continue his studies in Hartford, Connecticut, where he became a direct student of legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean, further solidifying a lineage rooted in mentorship, cultural responsibility, and artistic excellence. Upon returning to New Orleans, Williams was mentored by Dr. Michael White, who guided him deeply into the language, history, and performance practice of New Orleans traditional music, grounding his artistry in the city’s earliest musical expressions.
As the leader of Dr. Rackle & the Sound Griots, Williams presents music that honors ancestral memory while forging new pathways forward—blending New Orleans brass band tradition, modern jazz language, and original compositions into a unified artistic vision. His performances move fluidly between street tradition and concert stage, embodying the role of the modern griot: preserving history, telling truth, and advancing the sound of New Orleans for future generations.