The versatile Philly keyboardist, singer, and collaborator Jon Williams — aka Jonill — has appeared in our studio several times these past couple years, performing with local stars like Regothereshego, Ajay, and Brushstroke. This week, he branches out and showcases his solo material in a breathtaking Key Studio Sessions performance.
Evoking atmospheric experimental soul artists like Moses Sumney and Hiatus Kaiyote, Jonill shares a three-song set that can be funky and electrifying at the same time as it is tender and cathartic. The opening “Summer Soft” is a slow burn that’s an optimal fit for our seasonal moment, beginning with a sense of hushed longing that builds into an explosion of sound and feeling, tossing about hazy reminiscences of youth. The funky “Stuck” grooves and glides to reflections of personal connections that come but don’t always go. And a sublime performance of “Ovaltine” closes the set but lands in between those two points on the spectrum, simmering but also bopping a bit.
Watch Jonill’s full Key Studio Session below, and see him perform live this Sunday, September 17th, at the 2023 edition of Smorefest, happening at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He’ll join Carla Gamble, Byron Juane, Gogomorrow and more; details on the concert can be found here. To keep tabs on Jonill, give him a follow on Instagram at @itsjonill.