Jeffrey Lawrence Williams (born July 6, 1950) is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator.

Williams was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on July 6, 1950.^[1] He grew up in Oberlin, Ohio.^[1] His mother was a singer in the 1960s.^[1] Williams began playing the drums, self-taught, at the age of seven and played professionally from his mid-teens.^[1] From 1968, "he studied arranging and composition at the Berklee School of Music".^[1]

Williams played for a short time with various musicians in New York in 1971, joined pianist Marc Copland's band, and played for the first time with saxophonist Lee Konitz in 1972.^[1] He continued to work with Konitz on and off into the 2000s.^[1] Williams played with saxophonist Stan Getz at the end of 1972 and into early 1973, before joining the band Lookout Farm, led by Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach.^[1] Williams was also the drummer in pianist Beirach's trio for recordings in the mid-1970s.^[1]

Williams was part of the band Interplay, formed by bassist Anthony Cox and pianist Peter Madsen in the mid-1980s.^[2] This trio performed with Getz in 1987.^[2] Some of Williams's compositions were played on the albums Coalescence and Jazzblues.^[2] The former title was also the name of Williams's group from 1991 to 1996.^[1] The following year, "he formed the trio Circadian Rhythms with Tony Malaby and Michael Formanek. He also formed another trio, Left-handed Compliment, with the alto saxophonist John O'Gallagher and Madsen (on Hammond organ)".^[1]

Williams has taught at the Royal Academy of Music^[3] and the Birmingham Conservatoire.^[4] He is married to the American author Lionel Shriver.^[5]