ANTHONY WILLIAMS - Spring (1965-2000) RM / 24 Bit By RVG / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Considering the extraordinary talent assembled for Tony Williams' second Blue Note date as a leader, this could have been a landmark session. Unfortunately, it's not. Spring isn't totally forgettable; on the contrary, the fire expected by members of the Miles Davis Quintet (Williams, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter), all thoroughly influenced by "the new thing," were unleashed completely from Miles' tight rein. Add tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers and Albert Ayler bassist Gary Peacock into this mix and that influence thrived. However, the five Tony Williams compositions (including the drum only "Echo") often failed to provoke the musicians into reaching crucial unity, making Spring haphazard, falling short of the expected goal. Following Spring, Williams would not release another solo date for four years, returning on the Polydor label with the groundbreaking electric rock trio recording Emergency! by Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1    Extras    8:08
Tony Williams
2    Echo    5:02
Tony Williams
3    From Before    6:51
Tony Williams
4    Love Song    8:24
Tony Williams
5    Tee    10:29
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Anthony Williams
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers, Wayne Shorter

THE TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME - EGO (1971-1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Easily the weirdest record the Tony Williams Lifetime ever released, 1971's Ego is an experimental blend of post-hard bop jazz and the spacier end of psychedelic rock. Larry Young's wafting organ parts and Ted Dunbar's rockist guitar (as opposed to the more traditional jazz bent of the guy he replaced, John McLaughin) combine to make parts of the album sound like Atom Heart Mother-era Pink Floyd, particularly on "There Comes a Time" and "Lonesome Wells (Gwendy Trio)." Unfortunately, both of those tracks are bogged down by Williams' own earnest and not terribly inspired verses. The best tracks are those that dispense with the lyrical claptrap -- the liner notes are also a terribly dated hoot -- and get down to the creation of some roiling atmospheres and powerful group improvisation. In that regard, things really pick up at the end, with the ghostly "Mom and Dad" and the cacophonous closer "Urchins of Shermese," on which Williams splits the narcoleptic mood of the introduction with some of his most fractured and arrhythmic fills ever, while simultaneously maintaining a groove that's typically snaky and propulsive. Drum geeks will particularly adore the two brief solo pieces, "Clap City" and "Some Hip Drum Shit," which are both technically impressive and short enough not to get dull. Solid jazz-rock, from the days before fusion got painfully dull. by Stewart Mason  
Tracklist :
1    Clap City    0:54
Tony Williams
2    There Comes A Time    5:58
Tony Williams
3    Piskow's Filigree    3:52
Tony Williams
4    Circa    6:28
Tony Williams
5    Two Worlds 4:40
Tony Williams
Vocals – Jack Bruce
6    Some Hip Drum Shit 1:31
Composed By – Don Alias, Warren I. Smith
7    Lonesome Wells (Gwendy Trio)    7:27
Tony Williams
8    Mom And Dad    5:22
Tony Williams
9    The Urchins Of Shermêse    6:16
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass, Cello – Ron Carter (pistas: 2 to 5, 7 to 9)
Drums, Percussion – Don Alias, Warren Smith
Drums, Vocals, Composed By, Producer – Tony Williams
Guitar – Ted Dunbar (pistas: 2 to 5, 7 to 9)
Organ – Larry Young (pistas: 2 to 5, 7 to 9)
Painting [Cover] – Michael Gross

THE TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME - The Old Bum's Rush (1972-2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    You Make It Easy (Soothing + Yellow) 5:20
Written-By – Williams, Logan
2    What It's About (Love And Me) 5:37
Written-By – Williams, Logan
3    What'cha Gonna Do Today 3:40
Written-By – Williams, Logan
4    Mystic Knights Of The Sea 5:12
Written-By – Williams
5    Changing Man 4:50
Written-By – Williams
6    The Boodang 5:20
Written-By – Williams, Sidran
7    The Old Bums Rush 10:17
Written-By – Williams, Horowitz, Bushler, Logan, Lewis
Credits :
Bass – Herb Bushler
Clavinet [Clavinette] – Webster Lewis
Concept By [Musical], Arranged By [Arrangements], Drums – Tony Williams
Guitar – Tequila
Organ – Webster Lewis
Percussion – Tequila
Piano – David Horowitz
Synthesizer [A.R.P.] – David Horowitz
Tenor Saxophone – Tillmon Williams
Vibraphone [Vibes] – David Horowitz
Vocals – Tony Williams, Tequila

RON CARTER / HERBIE HANCOCK / TONY WILLIAMS - Third Plane (1977-1992) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

This reunion of Miles Davis' mid-'60s rhythm section (bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, and drummer Tony Williams) has its moments but is not particularly memorable. Performing three of Carter's songs, one apiece from Hancock and Williams, and the standard "Stella by Starlight," the solos are fine, but on the whole, little special occurs; the magic is missing. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Third Plane 5:54
Ron Carter
2     Quiet Times 7:55
Ron Carter
3     Lawra 6:08
Tony Williams
4     Stella by Starlight 8:26
Ned Washington / Victor Young
5     United Blues 3:01
Ron Carter
6     Dolphin Dance 8:17
Herbie Hancock
Credits :
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Anthony Williams
Piano – Herbie Hancock

TONY WILLIAMS - Foreign Intrigue (1985-1992) APE (tracks), lossless

Tony Williams had never led a straightahead recording session before and is a little higher in the mix than drummers usually rate. But despite the fact that he almost drowns out Bobby Hutcherson's vibes at times, Williams's playing is consistently colorful and would hold one's interest even if he were under-recorded. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Foreign Intrigue 5:30
Tony Williams
2     My Michelle 6:55
Tony Williams
3     Life of the Party 6:08
Tony Williams
4     Takin' My Time 6:44
Tony Williams
5     Clearways 5:08
Tony Williams
6     Sister Cheryl 7:02
Tony Williams
7     Arboretum 6:00
Tony Williams
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Donald Harrison
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums, Electronic Drums, Drums [Drum Machine], Composed By – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Trumpet – Wallace Roney
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson

TONY WILLIAMS - Civilization (1987) APE (tracks), lossless

Although he had recorded the year before using trumpeter Wallace Roney and pianist Mulgrew Miller on Foreign Intrigue, Civilization was the debut record by drummer Tony Williams' hard bop quintet, a group also including Billy Pierce on tenor and soprano, and bassist Charnett Moffett (who would later be succeeded by Ira Coleman). The leader's loud and forceful drumming forced the other soloists to use their maximum power, and his eight originals gave his sidemen challenging compositions to play. With Roney emulating Miles Davis as usual, Williams must have been pleased to have his former boss' sound at his disposal. Although none of the songs caught on as standards, this is an excellent effort. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Geo Rose 7:26
Tony Williams
2     Warrior 5:34
Tony Williams
3     Ancient Eyes 5>27
Tony Williams
4     Soweto Nights 6:39
Tony Williams
5     The Slump 6:29
Tony Williams
6     Civilization 4:29
Tony Williams
7     Mutants On the Beach 5:56
Tony Williams
8     Citadel 6:43
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass – Charnette Moffett
Drums, Drum Machine, Written-By – Tony Williams
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Billy Pierce
Trumpet – Wallace Roney
Piano – Mulgrew Miller

TONY WILLIAMS - Angel Street (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All of the recordings by Tony Williams' hard bop quintet of the late '80s/early '90s are worth owning. Trumpeter Wallace Roney, Billy Pierce (on tenor and soprano), and pianist Mulgrew Miller offered consistently satisfying solos, bassist Charnett Moffett was excellent in support, and the drummer-leader constantly pushed his sidemen; in concert his "support" could nearly drown out the soloists. For this 1988 studio session, Williams contributed nine originals including "Pee Wee" from his days with Miles Davis. The music is generally straight-ahead and full of passion. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Angel Street 8:20
Tony Williams
2     Touch Me 1:23
Tony Williams
3     Red Mask 7:09
Tony Williams
4     Kiss Me 0:54
Tony Williams
5     Dreamland (The Pleasure) 9:37
Tony Williams
6     Only With You 5:56
Tony Williams
7     Pee Wee 6:39
Tony Williams
8     Thrill Me 0:47
Tony Williams
9     Obsession 4:19
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass – Charnett Moffett
Composed By, Drums – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Billy Pierce
Trumpet – Wallace Roney

TONY WILLIAMS - Native Heart (1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although a bit underrated, drummer Tony Williams Quintet was one of the top hard bop units of the late '80s. Williams' originals (he contributed all seven of the compositions to this CD) gave his group a fresh repertoire, and his rather loud drumming really forced trumpeter Wallace Roney, Billy Pierce (on tenor and soprano), pianist Mulgrew Miller, and the alternating bassists Ira Coleman (who would soon become the group's only permanent member) and Bob Hurst to play with all of the energy and volume they could muster. This date is easily recommended to fans of the more adventurous side of straight-ahead jazz. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Native Heart 8:44
Tony Williams
2     City of Lights 6:28
Tony Williams
3     Extreme Measures 8:43
Tony Williams
4     Juicy Fruit 9:48
Tony Williams
5     Two Worlds 5:17
Tony Williams
6     Crystal Palace 7:02
Tony Williams
- Bonus Tracks -
7     Liberty 5:18
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass – Ira Coleman (pistas: 1, 2, 6), Bob Hurst (pistas: 3, 4, 5)
Composed By, Arranged By, Producer, Drums – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bill Pierce
Trumpet – Wallace Roney

TONY WILLIAMS - The Story Of Neptune (1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 

The Tony Williams Quintet has two obvious assets that put it ahead of most acoustic jazz bands: Williams's powerful and consistently creative drumming and his compositional talents. On this group's fifth Blue Note recording, the drummer contributed the three-part "Neptune," essentially a feature for his drums, a more memorable original, "Crime Scene," and arrangements of three standards. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Neptune: Overture 5:04
Tony Williams
2     Neptune: Fear Not 6:56
Tony Williams
3     Neptune: Creatures of Conscience 6:57
Tony Williams
4     Blackbird 5:36
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
5     Crime Scene 7:05
Tony Williams
6     Poinciana [Song of the Tree] 10:10
Buddy Bernier / Nat Simon
7     Birdlike 3:11
Freddie Hubbard
Credits :
Bass – Ira Coleman
Drums, Producer – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bill Pierce
Trumpet – Wallace Roney

TONY WILLIAMS - Tokyo Live (1993) 2CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This live two-CD set, one of the last recordings by the Tony Williams Quintet before it disbanded, is a fine retrospective of the group's music. All but the Beatles' "Blackbird" are originals by the drummer/leader, and the 11 lengthy performances (only two songs clock in at less than nine minues and 51 seconds) give one a strong idea as to how the quintet sounded during a typical club performance. Trumpeter Wallace Roney and the versatile Bill Pierce (on tenor and soprano) have their spots, and pianist Mulgrew Miller is well-featured on the thoughtful "Citadel" while bassist Ira Coleman is heard purely in a supportive role. There is never any doubt who the leader is, for Tony Williams dominates the ensembles, taking several five-minute drum solos and being quite prominent in the mix. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1 :
1     Geo Rose 11:33
Tony Williams
2     Blackbird 6:07
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
3     Ancient Eyes 11:29
Tony Williams
4     Citadel 18:06
Tony Williams
5     Warriors 15:23
Tony Williams
6     Angel Street 11:10
Tony Williams
Tracklist 2 :    
1     Sister Cheryl 14:41
Tony Williams
2     The Slump 9:51
Tony Williams
3     Mutants on the Beach 14:47
Tony Williams
4     Civilization 12:11
Tony Williams
5     Crystal Palace 10:21
Tony Williams
6     Life of the Party 2:31
Tony Williams
7     The Announcements 3:41
Thomas Williams
Credits :
Bass – Ira Coleman
Drums – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bill Pierce
Trumpet – Wallace Roney

TONY WILLIAMS - Young at Heart (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This would be the drummer's last recording, cut six months before he died. It shows Williams in a more conciliatory mood, sublimating his huge chops and bombastic style for subtler shadings and support for pianist Mulgrew Miller and bassist Ira Coleman, while lessening none of his indefatigable swing. This was also the last band Williams toured with, indicating he was committed to and comfortable with the acoustic piano-bass-drums format. It's a setting he had never really fully exploited over his years of leadership, no doubt inspired by the Herbie Hancock-Ron Carter partnership within the Miles Davis quintet of the mid-'60s. On the six standards present, Miller shines like a million facet diamond, his ultra-bright ideas swimming happily in this cauldron of crackling rhythms. The pianist peculiarly reharmonizes -- perhaps even shifts keys -- on six bars of the first line of the ballad "Body and Soul" and hits the kicker, his composition "Promethean," hard and strong, ripping off boppish melodic and harmonic phrases as if child's play. Williams trades fours on "Promethean" and the bass-led feature for Coleman during "You and the Night and the Music"; he also busts out with his typical triplet and quadruplet fury for the solidly swinging, slightly reharmonized "On Green Dolphin Street." The trio also recapitulates the previously larger-ensemble Williams original "Neptune" in a more pensive, poised, Aquarian mode than the caravan processional of the earlier recording. Miller's extraordinary modal chord extrapolations at the end are stunningly beautiful. Although this might not be viewed by fans as typical of Tony Williams, it is a logical conclusion to a brilliant career in jazz, and holds up high the lofty improvisational values he kept close to his vest, but near to our hearts. Recommended. by Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    Promethean 4:07
Written-By – Mulgrew Miller
2    Young At Heart 5:48
Written-By – Carolyn Leigh, Johnny Richards
3    On Green Dolphin Street 8:53
Written-By – Bronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington
4    Farewell To Dogma 5:52
Written-By – Mulgrew Miller
5    How My Heart Sings 6:14
Written-By – Earl Zindars
6    Fool On The Hill 6:21
Written-By – John W. Lennon - Paul J. McCartney
7    Neptune : Fear Not 6:11
Written-By – Tony Williams
8    You And The Night And The Music 6:45
Written-By – Arthur Schwartz - Howard Dietz
9    Body And Soul 6:39
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, Johnny J. W. Green, Robert Sour
10    This Here 7:33
Written-By – Bobby Timmons, Jon Hendricks
11    Summer Me, Winter Me 4:50
Written-By – Alan Bergman - Marilyn Bergman, Michel J. Legrand
Credits :
Bass – Ira Coleman
Drums – Tony Williams
Piano – Mulgrew Miller