Tony Williams profile picture

Tony Williams

Paying proper tribute to a musical legend.

About Me

Masthead Banner Made with MyBannerMaker.com! Click here to make your own!

Tony Williams' death in 1997 of a heart attack after routine gall bladder surgery was a major shock to the jazz world. Just 51, Williams seemed so youthful, healthy, and ageless even though he had been a major drummer for nearly 35 years. The open style that he created while with the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid- to late '60s remains quite influential, and he had a long list of accomplishments during the decades that followed. Williams' father, a saxophonist, took his son out to clubs that gave him an opportunity to sit in; at 11, the youngster already showed potential. He took lessons from Alan Dawson, and at 15 was appearing at Boston-area jam sessions. During 1959-1960, Williams often played with Sam Rivers, and in December 1962 (when he was barely 17), the drummer moved to New York and played regularly with Jackie McLean. Within a few months he joined Miles Davis, where his ability to imply the beat while playing quite freely influenced and inspired the other musicians; together with Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter he was part of one of the great rhythm sections. Williams, who was 18 when he appeared on Eric Dolphy's classic Out to Lunch album, stayed with Davis into 1969, leading his own occasional sessions and becoming a household name in the jazz world.In addition to his interest in avant-garde jazz, Tony Williams was a fan of rock music, and when he left Miles he formed the fusion band Lifetime, a trio with Larry Young and John McLaughlin. After leading other versions of Lifetime (one of them starring Allan Holdsworth), Williams stuck to freelancing for a time, studied composition, and toured with Herbie Hancock's V.S.O.P. band. By the mid-'80s, he was heading his own all-star hard bop group which featured Wallace Roney as a surrogate Miles Davis and a repertoire dominated by the drummer's originals (including the standard "Sister Cheryl"). After breaking up his longtime quintet in 1995, Williams gigged a bit with a trio, recorded a very interesting set of original music for the Ark 21 label, and seemed to have a limitless future. His premature death makes one grateful that he started his career early and that he was extensively documented. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music GuideTony with Miles 2nd Quintet

Add to My Profile | More VideosMiles Davis Quintet Footprints

Add to My Profile | More VideosTony with Miles Quintet "autumn leaves"

Add to My Profile | More Videos Myspace Background Generator and Myspace Hide Friends Code
Generate your own contact table!

AN HOUR WITH TONY WILLIAMS

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/13/2007
Band Website: myspace.com/tonywilliamstributepage
Band Members: Tony with The Miles Davis Quintet - "Walkin"TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIMETONY WILLIAMS SOLO INTRO - Truly StunningTONY, FREDDIE HUBBARD, DIZZY GILLESPIE, RON CARTERTony Williams and Herbie HanockTONY WILLIAMS QUINTET "Geo Rose"GREAT INTERVIEW WITH TONY 1996 BET JazzV.S.O.P Quintet - Tribute to Miles "So What"
Influences: I'm sure Tony was influenced by many of the greats. Out of respect for him as this is a tribute page, I will not list any specific drummers or musicians as influences although I'm sure that it was many. I know in my opinion he played and sounded like no other.Tony performed with: Miles Davis Herbie Hancock Andrew Hill Eric Dolphy Larry Young Lifetime Jack Bruce Wayne Shorter Ron Carter Mc Coy Tyner George Benson Wynton Marsalis Cecil Taylor Sonny Rollins Weather Report Freddie Hubbard Mulgrew Miller Ira Coleman and many others...

MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
MySpace Layouts


Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles
MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts


MySpace Layouts

Sounds Like: The delicate sound of thunder...
Record Label: Blue Note/Warner Bros./ARK21
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

"Cleaned Up" version of "Spectrum"

Anyone whoever heard the original LP or Cassette version of the great Tony Williams Lifetime recording "Emergency", knows that it was a murky nightmare of a recording.The music was phenomenal but was ...
Posted by Tony Williams on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:07:00 PST

Tony on Video "Walkin" with The Miles Davis Quintet

The first video on the page (left) is possibly the greatest jazz group ever assembled in the second Miles Davis Quintet. (Just my opinion.) Tony, Miles RC, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock just strai...
Posted by Tony Williams on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:41:00 PST

China Road - Tony and Michael Brecker at their powerful best.

Two of my all-time favorite musicians are Tony Williams and the recently passed Michael Brecker. "China Road" features powerful, raw, thunderous playing by both of these men, along with a pretty good ...
Posted by Tony Williams on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 05:30:00 PST

Tony Williams: A Brilliant Life Cut Short

Tony Williams: Age 51Died: February 23, 1997Innovative jazz drummer Tony Williams dead at 51DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) -- Tony Williams, who set the standard for modern jazz drumming as a teen prodigy wit...
Posted by Tony Williams on Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:14:00 PST

Tony Williams Final Interview

Tony Williams: The Final Interview by Michael Point (Reprinted from Down Beat magazine: April 1997) At press time, we learned of the sudden death of Tony Williams, who suffered a heart attack on Feb. ...
Posted by Tony Williams on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:49:00 PST

RJ and Pee Wee

RJ, to me is what Tony Williams is ALL about on the drums. From the Tribute to Miles cd, Tony and Ron Carter's interplay just blows me away. Tony is THUNDER on the bass and just showers the listener...
Posted by Tony Williams on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:00:00 PST

Elegy

Elegy was originally used for a type of poetic metre (Elegiac metre), but is also used for a poem of mourning, from the Greek elegos, a reflection on the death of someone or on a sorrow generally - wh...
Posted by Tony Williams on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:55:00 PST

Tonys Music

I'm hoping to add some music by Tony. MySpace copyright and the Tony Wiliams family may or may not want me posting his music. This I don't yet know. I know that everyone who has started a page has ...
Posted by Tony Williams on Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:29:00 PST