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Tony Williams

Born in Chicago and growing up in Boston, Williams began studies with master drummer Alan Dawson at an early age and began playing professionally at the age of 13 with saxophonist Sam Rivers. Jackie McLean hired Williams at 16. At 17 Williams found considerable fame with Miles Davis, joining a group that was later dubbed Davis's "Second Great Quintet." His first album as a leader, 1964's Life Time (not to be confused with the name of his band "Lifetime," which he formed several years later) was recorded during his tenure with Davis.

Williams was a vital element of the group, called by Davis in his autobiography "the center of the group's sound". [citation needed] His inventive playing helped redefine the role of jazz rhythm section through the use of polyrhythms and metric modulation (transitioning between mathematically related tempos and/or time signatures). But perhaps his overarching achievement was in demonstrating, through his playing, that the drummer need not be relegated to timekeeping and accompaniment in a jazz ensemble; that the drummer may be free to contribute to the performance as an equal partner in the improvisation.

In 1969, he formed a trio, "The Tony Williams Lifetime," with John McLaughlin on guitar and Larry Young on organ. It was a pioneering band of the fusion movement, a combination of rock, R&B, and jazz. Their first album, Emergency!, was largely rejected by the jazz community at the time of its release. However, Miles Davis was so impressed with the album and its highly experimental direction that he asked to head the group as his own; Williams declined.[citation needed] Nowadays, Emergency! is considered by many to be a fusion classic.

After McLaughlin's departure, and several more albums, Lifetime disbanded. In 1975, Williams put together a band he called "The New Tony Williams Lifetime," featuring bassist Tony Newton, pianist Alan Pasqua, and English guitarist Allan Holdsworth, which recorded two albums for Columbia Records, Believe It and Million Dollar Legs respectively.

In mid 1976, Williams was a part of a reunion of sorts with his old Miles Davis band compatriots, pianist/keyboardist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Miles backed out of the reunion at the last minute and was replaced by Freddie Hubbard. The record was later released as V.S.O.P. (which stood for a "Very Special OneTime Performance") and was highly instrumental in increasing the popularity of acoustical jazz. The group went on to tour and record for several years, releasing a series of live albums under the name "V.S.O.P." or "The V.S.O.P. Quintet." (The CD reissues of these albums are sold under Herbie Hancock's name - making things a bit confusing since the original V.S.O.P. album, which alone was a Hancock album, has never been released on CD.)

The Electric Years Box Set

by Mike Jurkovic
November 9, 2023

In a year that has brought us a true bounty of previously unheard majesty including Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse!), and Bill Evans; Treasures: Solo, Trio & Orchestra Recordings from Denmark (1965-1969), (Elemental Music) it is only fitting that Miles Davis get his due. And in a very, very big way. Seared into modern memory, modern art, the music presented on the gloriously massive, eleven LP set Miles Davis: The Electric Years ...

Radio & Podcasts

Jazz + Rock = ?

by Jerome Wilson
June 28, 2023

This show, from September 2021, focuses on various combinations of rock and jazz such as jazz musicians experimenting with rock rhythms, and rock bands leaning into horns and improvisation. Artists heard on the program include the Tony Williams Lifetime, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Dave Holland, Soft Machine, Spanky and Our Gang, and Elton Dean.Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Brian ...

Liner Notes

Miles Davis Quintets: Stockholm 1967 & 1969 Revisited

by Mark Corroto
January 16, 2023

Let me ask you, how many versions of Miles Davis do you recognize? Let us employ the word 'recognize' in terms of both, to identify and to approve. Listeners new to the world of Miles would be hard pressed to associate the artist seen and heard with Charlie Parker at New York's Three Deuces in 1947 with the same man performing in Montreux, Switzerland some forty years later. Both his look and his sound had changed, making him unrecognizable to ...

Radio & Podcasts

A Nostalgic Journey With Fusion From The '70s

by Len Davis
January 6, 2023

A nostalgic journey to the '70s with Herbie Hancock, Brand X, Soft Machine, Gong, The Eleventh House Larry Coryell, Michal Urbaniak, Brecker Brothers, Tony Williams, Billy Cobham and Jean-Luc Ponty.PlaylistHerbie Hancock “Sansho Shima" from Secrets (Record Label) 00:00Brand X “Malaga Virgen" from Livestock (Charisma) 05:39Soft Machine “Out Of Season" from Softs (Harvest) 11:24Gong “Boring" from Expresso 2 (Virgin) 17:01Larry Coryell “Yin Yang" from Aspects (Arista) 22:43Michal Urbaniak “Bahamian Harvest" from Fusion (MPS) 28:33The Brecker Brothers “Squids" from Heavy ...

Multiple Reviews

Tony Williams and Al Foster: Give The Drummers Some

by Doug Collette
September 21, 2022

Are drummers the most colorful members of the jazz community? Certainly as the keepers of the beat, the bands in which they play rotate around them, whether they are at center stage or off to the side in performance or behind baffles right alongside them in the studio. And the assertive and authoritative likes of such dashing contemporary figures as Brian Blade, Mike Clark and Allison Miller only offer further testament to that hallowed notion. As does the late Tony ...

Album Review

Miles Davis: Stockholm Live 1967 & 1969 Revisited

Read "Stockholm Live 1967 & 1969 Revisited" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini

by Maurizio Comandini
June 22, 2022

Stesso leader, Miles Davis; stessa strumentazione, tromba, sax, pianoforte, contrabbasso e batteria; stessa città, Stoccolma, ma in due sale diverse; due anni di distanza. Eppure questi due concerti sono abbastanza diversi fra di loro, anche se forse lo potrebbero essere stati ancora di più. Quello del 1967 vede il quintetto classico di Miles Davis registrato al culmine della sua parabola artistica, con una musica raffinata e potente allo tesso tempo, tecnicamente complessa eppure resa con grande scioltezza, proprio grazie alla ...

Album Review

Tony Williams: Life Time & Spring Revisited

Read "Life Time & Spring Revisited" reviewed by Maurizio Comandini

by Maurizio Comandini
May 16, 2022

Tony Williams è uno dei più importanti batteristi della storia. Non solo del jazz, ma della musica in generale. Solitamente questa considerazione, ampiamente condivisa, fa riferimento alla sua lunga esperienza come batterista dei quintetti di Miles Davis della seconda metà degli anni sessanta ed eventualmente al suo ruolo di leader del gruppo Tony Williams Lifetime nato nel 1969 e durato un paio d'anni. Due contesti di assoluta eccellenza che quindi giustificano il giudizio dal quale siamo partiti. Questa ottima ristampa ...

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