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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWILLIAMS, Tony(b 12 Dec. '45, Chicago IL; d 23 Feb. '97 of a heart attack) Drummer, composer. From musical family; grew up in Boston, went to NYC late '62, joined Miles Davis '63. The Davis rhythm section of that period, with Herbie Hancock on piano and Ron Carter on bass, was regarded as one of the best of all time, Williams with Elvin Jones among the most influential drummers of the decade. He played on Davis LPs through In A Silent Way '69, playing either 'inside' or 'outside' with phenomenal facility; also played with other groups and made own LPs beginning with Life Time '65 on Blue Note; left Davis to form jazz-rock fusion group Lifetime with John McLaughlin, Jack Bruce, Larry Young on organ; it suffered many personnel changes and was never as successful commercially as it was influential: its free playing over a rock beat etc. soon became a clich‚, but as Williams put it, 'After playing with Miles, there aren't any trumpet players for me to listen to.' LPs incl. Emergency '69, Turn It Over '70, Ego '71, The Old Bum's Rush '72 (with David Horowitz on keyboards) (these anthologized on Spectrum: The Anthology '97 on Verve); completely re-formed for Believe It and Million Dollar Legs on Columbia with Allan Holdsworth on guitar (ex-Gong, Soft Machine); under Williams's own name The Joy Of Flying '79 on Columbia incl. fusionists Hancock, George Benson, Jan Hammer, also a duet with Cecil Taylor, reached no. 113 on US LP chart. He also toured and recorded with Herbie Hancock's V.S.O.P. and The Quintet '77, re-created the Davis group with Carter and Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard replacing Davis; there were also Live Under The Sky c'80 and a reunion for Tribute To Miles '95 (won a Grammy). More albums as leader incl. Foreign Intrigue and Civilization on Blue Note, the last released '86 with Billy Pierce, Mulgrew Miller, Wallace Roney and Charnett Moffett. All except Moffett appeared on Native Heart '90 (all seven tracks written by Williams) and The Story Of Neptune '92 with more originals; all this was a return to form, uncluttered and confident. Two-CD Tokyo Live was recorded '92; trio Third Plane with Carter and Hancock was issued on French Carrere CD '87. His AP obit said he had quit playing for four years, disillusioned by criticism of his retreat from pure jazz; then Young At Heart '97 on Columbia was his last recording, a trio with Miller and Ira Coleman on bass. He also played on Wilderness with Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker, a jazz/classical crossover. |