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Musician

Tony Williams

Born:

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

Album

Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! Reference: With John McLaughlin & Larry Young

By Tony Williams

Label: thingamajig
Released: 2026
Track listing: Emergency; Beyond Games; Where; Vashkar; Via The Spectrum Road; Spectrum; Sangria For Three; Something Spiritual.

5

Article: Live Review

Arcanum at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo

Read "Arcanum at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo" reviewed by Artur Moral

by Artur Moral

Arcanum Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene Oslo, Norway October 9, 2026  Forget the hermetic allusions suggested by their name; forget the content of their first and only album, even though part of their live set is based on it; and forget, above all, preconceived notions about national characteristics and artistic approaches. An Arcanum ...

27

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Monktober continues with covers from Abbey Lincoln, Art Blakey, Chick Corea, and Billy Higgins. Also new music from Janis Siegel, Bobby Watson, and Others

Read "Monktober continues with covers from Abbey Lincoln, Art Blakey, Chick Corea, and Billy Higgins. Also new music from Janis Siegel, Bobby Watson, and Others" reviewed by David W. Daniels

by David W. Daniels

In addition to the musicians mentioned in the title, this edition of Exploration includes newly released music from Tommy Flanagan, Amber Weekes, Ray Russell, and more. Birthdays for Freddy Cole, Roy Hargrove, Kazumi Watanabe, and others are recognized.Playlist Chick Corea and Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian “Little Rootie Tootie" from Further Explorations (Concord Jazz) ...

6

Article: Interview

Without a Net, and with Love, Uncle Miles

Read "Without a Net, and with Love, Uncle Miles" reviewed by Emily Steinhilber

by Emily Steinhilber

When I called Vince Wilburn Jr. to talk about Miles Davis at 100 (read our own tribute), he answered from the Chicago house where he grew up--the same house where Davis used to telephone his mother and ask her to lower the receiver toward the basement so he could listen to his teenage nephew rehearse. More ...

5

Article: Album Review

Moon Inhabitants: Canned Luna

Read "Canned Luna" reviewed by Daniel Mège

by Daniel Mège

Is there anybody up there? The question is not as far-fetched as it sounds: NASA's lunar program is about to celebrate All About Jazz's 35th anniversary with the start of construction of a permanent lunar base (2030), laying the foundations for AAJ's 50th anniversary with its completion. Jazz will win: once the planet's taxpayers' money has ...

1

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Flat Earth Society, Paolo Fresu & More

Read "Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Flat Earth Society, Paolo Fresu & More" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu

by Ludovico Granvassu

Countless ways to celebrate the electric era of Miles Davis.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Paolo Fresu “Orange" kind of LIVES (Tǔk) 0:16 Host talks 2:56 Flat Earth Society “It's About That Time" In a Silent Way (Zonk) 5:12 Miles Davis “Directions" Reference: Miles ...

9

Article: Live Review

The Tension Is Where the Music Lives: Miles Davis at 100, Part 3

Read "The Tension Is Where the Music Lives: Miles Davis at 100, Part 3" reviewed by Kofi Adjepong-Boateng

by Kofi Adjepong-Boateng

Herbie Hancock Celebrates Miles Davis Hollywood Bowl Los Angeles, CA August 19, 2026 The Hollywood Bowl began as a picnic ground called Daisy Dell, a canyon chosen for its acoustics, willed into being largely by women, chief among them Artie Mason Carter, a music teacher who believed music was for everyone ...

6

Article: Album Review

Rino Sivathas: Speak Volumes

Read "Speak Volumes" reviewed by Daniel Mège

by Daniel Mège

Which country has the highest proportion of outstanding drummers relative to its total population? A difficult exam question, but by rough estimate, the number of drummers in Norway (really a lot of them), relative to its population (really a small one), makes it an obvious contender. Those who follow the scene have heard of ...

57

Article: Album Review

Tony Williams Lifetime: Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! Reference: With John McLaughlin & Larry Young

Read "Tony Williams Lifetime Emergency! Reference: With John McLaughlin & Larry Young" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita

Tony Williams was barely twenty-three when he put the Lifetime trio together in 1969, only five years past his stint as the engine of the Miles Davis Quintet. Emergency!, the group's sprawling doublealbum debut, paired Williams with organist Larry Young and a littleknown British guitarist named John McLaughlin, and the record still stands as one of ...


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