Tony Williams

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
My theory is about that album (or maybe I read it somewhere?) is he really fucked Miles off for outshining him, so Miles took revenge by restricting him to playing just one cymbal on in a silent way.

You can really hear those two battling it out on that album and the results are spectacular but obviously couldn't be sustained. Very interesting dynamic they had going on though while it lasted.

 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
he's amazing for sure but he's alongside Jack Dejohnette and Elvin Jones, he's a jazz drummer with the kind of strong backbeat emphasised playing that rock guys love
I don't really like lifetime and all sort of stuff, I suppose I was hoping people would post some nice tunes he shines on that weren't all that rock thump thump thump cos I was feeling lazy to find them myself. Filles de Kilimanjaro is my favourite, but there must be loads more I've forgotten about or don't know about.

I do admire the restraint (constraint?) on in a silent way though even though though he doesn't seem to do all that much, its perfect in context.
 

jenks

thread death
Not sure how he compares to Jack DeJohnette whom I love but you can’t knock a guy who played on these albums, amongst many others:
Dolphy’s Out to Lunch
Herbie’s early stuff but especially Maiden Voyage
Miles’ Seven Steps is my favourite but he’s all over the good stuff.
VSOP which is essentially Miles’ band with Hubbard instead
One of my personal favs is this Ron Carter album
 

Benny Bunter

Well-known member
Never heard that, lovely, thanks jenks. I forgot he played on out to lunch too, gonna stick that on now haven't listened in years .
 

thirdform

pass the sick bucket
he's amazing for sure but he's alongside Jack Dejohnette and Elvin Jones, he's a jazz drummer with the kind of strong backbeat emphasised playing that rock guys love

Yeah, Rashied Ali is miles above him, technically. Not to discount from Williams, who is indeed great, obvs. But people can be quite rockist sometimes.

And this isn't to privilege technicality above execution, which would indeed be silly. But there's considering drummers from within the jazz continuum and approaching them from outside.
 
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