Great Music For All Occasions

Meet The Band

The Larry Williams Band is a dynamic, ten-piece show and dance band delivering decades of live music across generations. With a blend of high-energy performances across weddings, private parties, and public events, we strive for client satisfaction through responsive communication and top-tier musical talent.

A middle-aged man with short gray hair, holding a black electric guitar, sitting in front of a wooden wall, smiling.

  • Larry Williams is a Maine native. He received both his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education and Jazz Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He teaches music at Poland Regional High School and Bates College. He performs regularly, and has recorded with The Portland Jazz Orchestra. He was a member of The Tony Boffa Band for 12 years before he retired. Although saxophone has been his main instrument, he is equally proficient on bass where he has performed and recorded with many local and nationally recognized musicians and bands.  Beyond his music teaching and leadership roles, Larry is an avid CrossFit athlete and coach.

A young woman with curly red hair, glasses, and a septum piercing, sitting in front of a wooden wall, wearing a sheer black blouse with ruffled details.

  • Suzie Assam is a Maine-based vocalist and songwriter currently residing in Bath. Over the years, Suzie has dabbled in a number of creative endeavors: taking on acting roles like the Emcee (Cabaret) and Debbie Benton (Debbie Does Dallas the Musical) with Cast Aside Productions; performing as a guest vocalist in ensemble and tribute shows around Portland; collaborating with and providing vocals for local hip hop/R&B artists. When she's not getting down with The LWB or working her 9-5 as a project coordinator for a healthcare organization, Suzie finds fulfillment in writing and performing her own original music in the folk genre (aka weepy guitar songs), learning new skills, and loving on her chosen family.

A man holding a woodworking plane against a wooden wall background.

  • Andy Chipman holds a B.A. in Music from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, studied Music Education at the University of Southern Maine, and earned a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of New England. He spent 29 years as a public school music educator in Maine, teaching band, vocal music, and classroom music. Alongside his teaching career, Andy has built a long and distinguished track record as a church organist and pianist, pit band musician, and has been a member Maine area bands such as Loopin, The Nat Hussey Band, The Wingtips, and The Delta Knights. He now brings his extensive experience and passion for performance to The Larry Williams Band. Andy lives near his two adult kids and has a cat named Jack who pretty much runs his life. 

A man holding a trombone, wearing glasses and a black shirt, standing in front of a wooden wall.

  • Ben Albee is a professional trombonist based in southern Maine. Surprising his parents with a loaner trombone from school in 4th grade, Ben found the drive to pursue music as a career over the course of middle and high school under the guidance of his music teacher. He went on to receive his Bachelor’s in Music Ed from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master’s in Trombone Performance from Umass Amherst. He has taught in both private and public schools, and offered private lessons. Since moving back to Maine with his wife, Ben has been an active part of the Larry Williams Band and been a founding member in classical trombone groups. When not playing music and dabbling in composition, he maintains a career in the craft beer industry and enjoys gardening with his wife.

A young man with curly hair and glasses smiling while holding a saxophone, standing against a wooden wall.

  • Chris Caliskan is an active freelance musician and educator originally from Acton, Massachusetts. He is currently pursuing a bachelor of music degree in music performance with a concentration in jazz studies at the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine.  He studies jazz saxophone with Aaron Henry, classical saxophone with Chris Forbes, and composition with Hans Indigo Spencer. Chris plays in several Osher ensembles, including jazz ensemble, jazz combos, and wind ensemble. Grounded in his faith, he has also played in church ensembles for many years. Chris has taught private saxophone lessons since 2023 and maintains a growing studio.  In addition to performing, teaching, and being a student, Chris has released two EPs of his compositions: Sitting in a Dark Room in August of 2023 and Anticipation in Color in September of 2024.  

A woman with blonde hair wearing tortoiseshell glasses, a black button-up shirt, and black pants, standing in front of a wooden wall.

  • Jenna Guiggey performs a diverse and demanding array of repertoire, including early Baroque, Golden Age and modern musical theater, pop, rock, and contemporary choral music across New England. She performs locally as a choral artist with Oratorio Chorale, Amethyst Ensemble, Say You Love Me (a tribute to Fleetwood Mac), The Larry Williams Band, and as a freelance soloist for choirs, orchestras, and churches. 

    Jenna studied classical voice with Ellen Chickering and Bruce Fithian at the University of Southern Maine, completing a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance and pedagogy. She maintains a private studio and owns and operates Blue Jay Coffee, an independent café in downtown Lewiston, ME. (Follow her adventures @jguiggs!)

A smiling man with a beard wearing a gray fedora-style hat and a black polo shirt, standing against a wooden wall.

  • Joshua Witham is a native of Maine having grown up in Norway and graduating from Oxford Hills and their excellent music program being in both their choirs and band programs. Josh then went to study voice at the University of Southern Maine where he graduated with a bachelors in music with a concentration in musical theater. While there, Josh honed his craft with voice teachers Judith James and Ed Reichert. After school, Josh has been in many theater productions in the southern Maine area both on stage and as a pit performer, performed for cabarets, taught music at a private school, taught private lessons, as well as singing for retirement homes. He also sings and mentors for The Amethyst Chamber Ensemble, an eclectic ensemble that focuses on choral excellence, diversity in programming and a collaborative style of making music which is headed by Mary Sullivan and Joelle Morris. One of Josh’s favorite things to do is to busk on saxophone during the holidays in the Old Port. Josh started with The Larry William’s Band for their 2021 season and has been a regular ever since and is looking forward to many more seasons!

A man with long hair, a beard, and a watch on his left wrist, smiling with arms crossed, holding drumsticks in his right hand, standing in front of a wooden wall.

  • Sam Smith, born in Maine, Has his Bachelors in Music Performance with a focus in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He is also a member of the Christian Martin Trio and plays guitar in the band L I L Y. 

A smiling man with glasses, a cap, a beard, and earrings holding a yellow electric guitar in front of a wooden wall.

  • Nick Santos is a Maine-based musician who grew up in the small town of Minot. A former student of Larry Williams, Nick participated in Williams’ band program from sixth grade through high school. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Industry from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. During his studies, Nick performed, recorded, and toured the East Coast with several independent original music groups, playing both guitar and bass. His academic and creative pursuits also included a strong focus on music production, culminating in his Pro Tools Operator Certification. With over 18 years of experience as a guitarist, Nick continues to write, record, and produce original music. In addition to his creative work, he is employed by a boutique acoustic guitar manufacturer in Lewiston, Maine, where he carves guitar necks and manages stock photography. Nick is also a founding member of the Kyle Robinson Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization that awards scholarships to college students pursuing degrees in the music industry, and provides grants to younger students seeking to expand their musical education. Beyond his professional and musical endeavors, Nick enjoys riding motorcycles, mountain biking, and photography.

A young man with curly hair sitting in front of a wooden wall, holding a trumpet.

  • Ian Smith Is a freelance trumpet player from Portland Maine. Ian has played with the Portland Jazz Orchestra, Is one of the founding members of Big Deal Jazz, and played in pits with many local theater companies. Ian also plays trumpet in the Osher Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Combos at the University Of Southern Maine. Ian has spent the past few years studying trumpet under educator Chris Klaxton. When Ian is not indulged in the music world, he enjoys making specialty drinks at Bard Coffee or home, working on personal photography projects, studying chess, or in season hiking.

Larry and his band are amazing! We hired the band for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception and it was the best decision. Larry is so kind and an expert at what he does. He was SO easy to work with, incredibly responsive, and kept the dance floor packed. When we were lost in figuring out how to structure our timeline, Larry spent an hour talking through his recommendations with me. He and the band learned a few special songs we requested which was incredible. Just a really fantastic group of people who know what they're doing. We have had SO many of our guests come up to us raving about the band afterward. Our dance floor was full from the minute we opened it until the last song. Best wedding band we've ever seen! Look no further!

-Erin M.

Wedding on 10/24/25

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