Happy Birthday Tony Williams ...

WhoIsTony?

WhoIsTony?

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in my opinion the most influential drummer in the last 50 years

guess what drummers....even if you never heard Tony play his influence is still in your playing

thats how wide spread his rhythmic impact is on our young instrument

rest easy Tony

your playing and expression are an endless source of inspiration to me

things you played 50 years ago are still a mystery to us all

 
Perfectly stated Anthony.

His music and influence will never pass.
 
I know how much Tony means to you, it really comes across.

You're influential too WhoIs?. OK maybe not like a TW...yet...but I hold you in high regard just the same.

You could be the most doggedly determined and complete drummer I know.
 
What a loss. Just an enormous loss.

I believe Billy Cobham has had the same effect on drumming. Generations effected by his playing without even knowing it.

I once saw someone state that attending a Tony Williams clinic was like going to a spiritual, religious event.

There was (is) something so distinctive about Tony Williams it's riveting, mesmerizing.

I had his Lifetime records when I was young. Kind of went by me at the time. When I was 38 I asked a guy, who wanted to share some things with me, if he wanted to share something, share somebody who plays 'different.' He said, "I know just the guy." He brought over the Williams in New York video, and some cassettes. Wow. Talk about rediscovery. Hit me like a bus.

Man, the sticks in that picture look like telephone poles.
 
I haven't really drank the Tony Williams kool-aid mainly because I'm not that familiar with his work (other than the odd clip on Youtube)... also he's a bit before my time. So.. if someone were to ask you "what is a great example of Tony's awesome playing and also a really great tune (not just a drum clinic).. what would you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
 
Drumsinhisheart said:
I once saw someone state that attending a Tony Williams clinic was like going to a spiritual, religious event.
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I was fortunate to see Tony in a clinic in Portland in 1996, not too long before he died. He started the clinic by playing an open double stroke roll on the snare drum for something like 5-10 minutes; it was actually mesmerizing because he did it so beautifully, with a wide range of dynamics. He then went in to a drum solo that lasted around 45+ minutes; it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, and he had the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time.

Unfortunately, the question and answer portion afterwards was fairly tense, and Tony did not seem to be in a good mood. This was probably triggered by two cringe-worthy questions he got right off the bat. The first question was something like this: "I noticed on your solo that you hit the rim of your floor tom a couple of times--was that intentional?" It was obvious (at least to me, and I expect to most everyone else) that the rim hits were a minor mistake, but to have someone single THAT out after witnessing one of the most amazing technical/musical displays of drumming imaginable seemed to me to be in poor taste, and judging by Tony's response (which was curt--"that's just nothing, it's just style," or something like that), he thought so too.

Question #2 was "What was it like to play on Bitches Brew?" Tony's answer: "I didn't play on Bitches Brew. Next question." And his mood sorta went downhill from there...
 
moxman said:
I haven't really drank the Tony Williams kool-aid mainly because I'm not that familiar with his work (other than the odd clip on Youtube)... also he's a bit before my time. So.. if someone were to ask you "what is a great example of Tony's awesome playing and also a really great tune (not just a drum clinic).. what would you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Here's something from the immortal "Four and More" Miles Davis live concert album from 1964: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhVnWRqQ8sA
 
Drumsinhisheart said:
I always loved "Fred" from Believe It -

http://youtu.be/bveYRBAS4dg
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That WAS awesome! Love the tune.. great playing.. great groove.. love that snare roll
I hear a bit of Lenny White (Chic Corea - drums) and Max Middleton (Jeff Beck - keys) in there.. those are guys I'm more familiar with from around the same era. I'll definitely be checking out more of that!

re: Jackie McLean record One Step Beyond
That is smokin' too! - for a 17 year old? C'mon!
That style of jazz is a bit old school for me (1963) - but definitely the kid can PLAY! :)
 
Funny thing about Lenny White. Well, not funny at all, really. Lenny had great respect for Tony, but also gave thoughts to his own playing by comparison. I love Lenny. Corea and RTF. Big influence. But, Lenny is not Tony. Lenny has his own voice, and has a fast right foot, too. But Tony was a force of nature, as they say.

Anyway, Tony did an interview for Modern Drummer and specifically mentioned Lenny as the kind of people he stays away from. Ouch.

I felt bad for Lenny. Didn't seem to hurt his career any, that's for sure.
 
eddypierce said:
I was fortunate to see Tony in a clinic in Portland in 1996, not too long before he died. He started the clinic by playing an open double stroke roll on the snare drum for something like 5-10 minutes; it was actually mesmerizing because he did it so beautifully, with a wide range of dynamics. He then went in to a drum solo that lasted around 45+ minutes; it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, and he had the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time.

Unfortunately, the question and answer portion afterwards was fairly tense, and Tony did not seem to be in a good mood. This was probably triggered by two cringe-worthy questions he got right off the bat. The first question was something like this: "I noticed on your solo that you hit the rim of your floor tom a couple of times--was that intentional?" It was obvious (at least to me, and I expect to most everyone else) that the rim hits were a minor mistake, but to have someone single THAT out after witnessing one of the most amazing technical/musical displays of drumming imaginable seemed to me to be in poor taste, and judging by Tony's response (which was curt--"that's just nothing, it's just style," or something like that), he thought so too.

Question #2 was "What was it like to play on Bitches Brew?" Tony's answer: "I didn't play on Bitches Brew. Next question." And his mood sorta went downhill from there...
Click to expand...

Some people have no right to go outside... Yikes.....
 
WhoIsTony? said:
Tony was known to be a bit curt at times for sure

I have a funny and painful Tony Williams story

I was studying at IAR in NY around 1994-95...and on one rainy Monday morning I was crossing 6th Ave listening to my discman ...and who comes crossing the street walking toward me....Tony Williams wearing a full length leather trench coat , a leather Kangol hat , black leather gloves , and smoking a huge cigar .

he walked past me and all I could say was...."Tony Williams!!"

he looked back over his shoulder smiled with the stogie in his mouth and gave a thumbs up.

as I was looking at him a cab came and sideswiped me ...threw me to the ground into a puddle in the middle of 6th

good times indeed
Click to expand...

Always like reading this event.
 
WhoIsTony? said:
ha!

yeah I've told that before huh?

it's my only run in with Tony and I hold it dear

the bruise on my hip from the mirror of the cab went away .....the memory of rubbing elbows with Tony on that rainy morning never will
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Yep. You told me that little anecdote as well on the TW thread. Still nice to hear about it again. Makes it seem for an instant as though Tony were still around.

Do you remember, I mentioned listening endlessly to Nefertiti in the car during a long commute in the summer. Well, I've still got that one on repeat play when I'm driving.

How can one man's drumming be so complex that I never get bored of it?
 
Drumsinhisheart said:
Anyway, Tony did an interview for Modern Drummer and specifically mentioned Lenny as the kind of people he stays away from. Ouch.
Click to expand...

Interesting.. I didn't know Lenny White followed in Tony's footsteps by playing with Miles, and drew inspiration from him... Lenny being another 17 year old prodigy who also played on the Bitches Brew album with Jack DeJohnette, after Tony left MIles to form the Lifetime band.. a power 'organ trio on steroids'... and then Lenny joined a power 'organ trio on steroids' band - Return to Forever..

Maybe a reason why he got ticked off when asked 'what it was like to play on Bitches Brew?'. I wonder if Tony thought Lenny was copying him??
 
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Yes Four and More is killer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLf-bNiUX9I&feature=share&list=PL5FBA3EEDCCB21D7B

I don't know how this passed me by back in the 70s.. I'll have to pick up this CD 'Believe It (1975). Been listening to samples all afternoon! Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wSkbTliPG4&list=PL0372687D02F96895

Some of the instrumental parts remind me a bit of Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow , which was recorded in Oct.74 - one of my all time fav recordings of all time - with yet another teenaged prodigy on it (Richard Bailey - I think he was 19 at the time)
 
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Well, Tony changed my life. I had listened to Tony before when I was young, but it was a particular encounter with Miles' '64 Complete Concert playing on my buddy's CD player about 18 or 19 years ago that really got the ball rolling for me. The uptempo stuff on So What and All Blues, and the beautiful textures and creative comping on My Funny Valentine blew my mind. And THAT RIDE CYMBAL.

I love Tony around 1963-1965 the best of all. Those Blue Notes with Herbie, Wayne, Eric Dolphy; some of my favorite music ever made. But the fusion period in the late-60s and early-70s is a whole different, but equally beautiful thing. Tony reinvented the way the instrument is played multiple times. Who else can claim that? I mean, Papa Jo, Klook, Art, Elvin... they turned the world upside down. But Tony kind of did it more than once.

There will never be another Tony Williams. Happy Birthday, Tony.
 
FWIW, I am actively listening to Tony. I mean the guy is so far beyond my comprehension that he might as well be speaking Venutian. But I think if I listen to him long enough, I'll still never understand what's going through his head lol. I can't even wrap my head around his ride cymbal work
 
Always one of my go to guys when I want to go to another plane/head space. There was a drummer acquaintance of mine who had wrangled a lesson from Tony, when I asked him for some pearls of wisdom from his lesson, the only thing he remembered was that the light in Tony's bathroom didn't work.

Found an unreleased album / bootleg a couple of years ago with a group called "The Barbarians". It aint "jazz" it's rock but it's definitely Tony. File size limitations prohibit me from sharing more right now.
 

Attachments

  • 03 Don't Stop Me Now.mp3
    7.2 MB · Views: 129
  • 08 How Could You.mp3
    3.9 MB · Views: 109
  • 09 Drum Solo #1.mp3
    4.6 MB · Views: 110
  • 10 Drum Solo #2.mp3
    4.9 MB · Views: 132
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The rest of unreleased album / bootleg "The Barbarians" low fi
 

Attachments

  • 06 Untitled Original.mp3
    4 MB · Views: 115
  • 05 All Night Long.mp3
    5.1 MB · Views: 119
  • 04 Lawra.mp3
    3.8 MB · Views: 107
  • 02 Barbarian Of Love.mp3
    4.2 MB · Views: 106
  • 01 My Imagination.mp3
    4.9 MB · Views: 129
  • 07 Tell The Children.mp3
    6.9 MB · Views: 119
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