Tony workin the red jumpsuit at the Montreux Jazz Festival July 23, 1983 with VSOPII featuring Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter.
Been following this dude since the early 80s...I think this is his best playing, even better than the early Miles years. I still can't get over the fact he is gone.
I was just watching an old interview (1980) with Phil Collins and he was asked what drummers he looked up to and Phil said Tony Williams. In fact, he said he met Tony Williams and he really scared him because he was so good. Now I understand why.
Watching this is like being in the eye of the hurricane, surrounded by a violent whirling vortex of otherworldly energy. No other human being known to man has ever played drums like this. I bow in worship to The One and The Only Anthony Tillmon Williams.
NO SR. JOE MORELLO IS THE BEST DRUMMER WALKED THE FACE OF THIS PLANET. Listen to the "Joe Morello - My time is your time" Album. And "Paradiddle Joe" Dave Brubeck with Carmen McRae Album.
@@kazimacar622: To be certain, Morello should stands as one of the "Hall of Fame" greats of the drums, and from whom John Bonham got his idea to solo in "Moby Dick" with hands rather than sticks. Morello, like Buddy Rich & Tony Williams, was an island unto himself stylistically; an accomplished technician and master of both dynamics & time manipulation, his playing also had an aggressive, visceral quality that was more akin to a rock player. As for who is "the best", we would do well to always remember that it is a parade and not a race.
The 2nd solo starting around 01:55 is my favorite Tony solo captured on video. Its nearly 6 minutes in length, displays many of Tony signature ideas, features an incredible interplay between Tony and Herbie as well phrasing and dynamics that are just so hip.
This is absolutely sublime! It has to be the absolute best Tony solo I've ever watched - it benefits infinitely from the context and interplay with Ron and Herbie too - their scaffolding gives the solo another level of melody and harmony implied in Tony's phrasing and orchestration on the kit. He of course composed alot of music himself, some of his tunes are pretty bad ass, so this accompaniment, to me really helps me hear Tony as a fully realized master musician who happens to be playing an improvised drumset solo. Just amazing. This crackles with energy and I cannot believe this has been posted for 9 years and I have not clicked on it til now. I guess there's just so much stuff from this era featuring Tony (and often some of these bandmates) on that yellow kit that I assumed I'd seen it before. What a treasure, better late than never I guess.
One of the very finest musical moments I've witnessed here on RUclips - thanks for posting this truly wonderful vid. I've always loved Tony and Herbie, but this is on a whole other level!!!!
Amazing solo over this comping. Whoa!! I’m amazed how he can get to all the drums and cymbals effortlessly.. the setup seems somewhat clunky.. if you listen though to the sound he’s getting it’s burning!
I saw Tony many times,a true original on the instrument.I bought a used Gretsch mid 1980's kit some years ago in Yellow Nitron but with a 16x22 bass,8x10,8x12 and 9x13 toms,14x14 floor tom and a 1980 matching 6-1/2/x14 snare.I only use four or five pieces at most.Great sounding drums but my playing??....eh? so-so. Players like Tony know how to use extra toms.Thanks for posting this.
So true, I can only look on in awe at his playing on the kit. But looking at this over and over and over...well, it gives me some ideas for practising. Thanks to the op for posting.
Kimberly Morey Tony was an ok drummer. If I remember correctly...he was on 5 landmark international historically important recordings by age 15. he did “alright” as a musician hahaha. drummers get such a bad rap
it's not real common, but you see it occasionally. floor toms are big drums, so you have to be pretty devoted to drag 3 of them around. :) a lot of drummers who go with 3 these days will put one on the hi-hat side instead of all three in a cluster like this, but check out "John Blackwell Drum Solo" and "Cindy Blackman Multiplicity" for a couple examples
+reflexbc Once Tony went to the three floor-tom set up in the mid-seventies, I never heard him rock anything other than black dots, even playing the with brushes!
+Matt Hughen Interesting... Most jazz guys prefer coated heads... To be honest, I'm not that familiar with Tony's work, a situation that I should remedy... As far as the three floor toms, I don't even play with two, too far over to right for me...
+Matt Hughen Also, right as he's turning his snares off, he does what sounds like a roll on the bass drum, but I don't think he's using a double pedal... I don't see how that's technically possible...
Seppo Innanen : It does not matter what kind of heads he played on or drums for that matter. The result would still be the same. Nothing but GREATNESS!!!
Tony could play trash cans and lids and fuck them up...he was allowed to black dot anything he wanted...he felt into his kit so what ever drums and heads he played were really irrelevant...always good...regardless of equipment.
Seppo Innanen There are pictures where it looks like he’s got one on the snare side! If my eyes aren’t deceiving me, he was a madman in more than a couple ways.
Hanckok is playing two notes & Williams is playing his ass off mentaly & physicaly.if any other human on the drumset couldnt back up the pianist like that!
As always and forever Tony is an anomaly there's simply no one like him.Tony's Rythmmicly and creatively on another planet.He is and has been for me simply the overall best drummer I have ever heard not the fastest or flashiest or most robotic but ask Keltner or Rich or Cobham ect. Really who's the Maaaaaaaaannnn.......Tony
The first guy I saw with 3 was Billy Cobham with Mahavishnu in 1972 - then Lenny White with RTF in 1974. I saw Al Mouzon in 1973 and he had 4.... Not sure when Tony went that way, or who started it.
And he tunes his toms ONE note apart - very odd and with those CS heads top AND bottom with internal mufflers TOP and BOTTOM he created an unmistakable very identifiable sound. Snare and BD very boxy. Lots of flams and flam rudiments. Single stroke rolls. 16th and 32nd note hand/foot phrases.
+newbloom The first solo is from the song "Arboretum" written by Tony Williams. It appeared on his 1986 album, Foreign Intrigue, a highly UNDERrated album. The second solo is from a Wayne Shorter tune that appeared on Miles in the Sky titled "Paraphernalia."
this might be the finest drum performance i have ever seen! Tony gives a clinic in badassery.
THIS IS SOME SICK AZZ SHIT HERE--FUCKING BAD AZZ LOTS OF FEEL-DRIVE-PASSION-POWER-LOVE-IMPROV
Been following this dude since the early 80s...I think this is his best playing, even better than the early Miles years. I still can't get over the fact he is gone.
Rudemetrytechnic, power, speed, taste and the ability to play jazz, rock, fusion; he had it all. What a great player.
Always heard the name Tony Williams but finally decided to listen to him the past few days. WOW
I was just watching an old interview (1980) with Phil Collins and he was asked what drummers he looked up to and Phil said Tony Williams. In fact, he said he met Tony Williams and he really scared him because he was so good. Now I understand why.
The ever inspirational TONY!! The man with the most unmistakable sound in drum history!
This might be the best Tony solo(s) I have heard...and the bar is pretty high.
this solo is bad ass fucking hell...it has so much passion and tribal'ness...
I might have to agree with you...he's like from Krypton on this solo.
Watching this is like being in the eye of the hurricane, surrounded by a violent whirling vortex of otherworldly energy. No other human being known to man has ever played drums like this. I bow in worship to The One and The Only Anthony Tillmon Williams.
NO SR. JOE MORELLO IS THE BEST DRUMMER WALKED THE FACE OF THIS PLANET. Listen to the "Joe Morello - My time is your time" Album. And "Paradiddle Joe" Dave Brubeck with Carmen McRae Album.
@@kazimacar622: To be certain, Morello should stands as one of the "Hall of Fame" greats of the drums, and from whom John Bonham got his idea to solo in "Moby Dick" with hands rather than sticks. Morello, like Buddy Rich & Tony Williams, was an island unto himself stylistically; an accomplished technician and master of both dynamics & time manipulation, his playing also had an aggressive, visceral quality that was more akin to a rock player. As for who is "the best", we would do well to always remember that it is a parade and not a race.
Vinnie Colaiuta. That is all.
Spellbinding as usual from Tony - you can see him thinking all the time. What else can you ask for. Brilliant.
Truly my biggest influence growing up on the drums, this solo is unbelievable!
The 2nd solo starting around 01:55 is my favorite Tony solo captured on video. Its nearly 6 minutes in length, displays many of Tony signature ideas, features an incredible interplay between Tony and Herbie as well phrasing and dynamics that are just so hip.
This is absolutely sublime! It has to be the absolute best Tony solo I've ever watched - it benefits infinitely from the context and interplay with Ron and Herbie too - their scaffolding gives the solo another level of melody and harmony implied in Tony's phrasing and orchestration on the kit. He of course composed alot of music himself, some of his tunes are pretty bad ass, so this accompaniment, to me really helps me hear Tony as a fully realized master musician who happens to be playing an improvised drumset solo. Just amazing. This crackles with energy and I cannot believe this has been posted for 9 years and I have not clicked on it til now. I guess there's just so much stuff from this era featuring Tony (and often some of these bandmates) on that yellow kit that I assumed I'd seen it before. What a treasure, better late than never I guess.
Tony was always a heck of a lot of fun to play with. What a talent.
One of the very finest musical moments I've witnessed here on RUclips - thanks for posting this truly wonderful vid. I've always loved Tony and Herbie, but this is on a whole other level!!!!
Yes! This is called great music!
Sir Tony Williams!!!
Phenomenal Performance ! 👍✌
Pure un-cut Tony; a drummers drummer!
Quite simply, he was the best ever. Took drumming to a level that others could only dream of mastering
Mastering Tony's drumming, needs two lives :))
Thank you for posting.
Greatness such as this is sorely missed.
This is fucking unbelievable. I pressed the like button but really this footage needs needs it's own button!
the real master Tony Williams
Tony was a beast.
Never be another like Mr. Williams😢
MAY THE GENIUS BE WITH US
Can't find any of these Gretsch kitsch on the vintage marketplace, I wonder why,lol....
One of the BEST power drummers...
Absolutely mesmerising ❤️❤️❤️
The best drummer .
Sickest shit ever!
excellent! Tony Rules!!
And then, on the 7th day God created Tony Williams. And God saw that it was Good!!
POWERFUL !!!
10 of 10 stars!!!
Awesome drum solo.
The man
Crazy good!!!
And that's why Mr. Williams will always be the best drummer, ever! Sorry, Vinnie.
even Vinnie would agree with you on that. Tony is his biggest hero. Vinnie is my most favorite drummer though.😊
Tony can be identified in under 5 seconds...
because of the drum tunings - don't be hoodwinked.
One hit on his open hi-hat is enough!
No it's not just the tuning it's simply TONY WILLIAMS...
Ídolo indiscutible.
One of a kind...
Grandioso!
Amazing solo over this comping. Whoa!!
I’m amazed how he can get to all the drums and cymbals effortlessly.. the setup seems somewhat clunky.. if you listen though to the sound he’s getting it’s burning!
I saw Tony many times,a true original on the instrument.I bought a used Gretsch mid 1980's kit some years ago in Yellow Nitron but with a 16x22 bass,8x10,8x12 and 9x13 toms,14x14 floor tom and a 1980 matching 6-1/2/x14 snare.I only use four or five pieces at most.Great sounding drums but my playing??....eh? so-so. Players like Tony know how to use extra toms.Thanks for posting this.
So true, I can only look on in awe at his playing on the kit.
But looking at this over and over and over...well, it gives me some ideas for practising. Thanks to the op for posting.
Do you have the entire concert? If so, upload it!!!!! lets see more
Man! There's a lot of "WTF?!" Moments here! Tony was so bad!
lots and lots of WTF
Gustavo Estevam Right!!!
you got that right....
SUPER
Holy Fuck! 😯
hey, this guy`s pretty good !
Kimberly Morey Tony was an ok drummer. If I remember correctly...he was on 5 landmark international historically important recordings by age 15. he did “alright” as a musician
hahaha. drummers get such a bad rap
👏🏾👏🏾
it's not real common, but you see it occasionally. floor toms are big drums, so you have to be pretty devoted to drag 3 of them around. :)
a lot of drummers who go with 3 these days will put one on the hi-hat side instead of all three in a cluster like this, but check out "John Blackwell Drum Solo" and "Cindy Blackman Multiplicity" for a couple examples
Rockin the Black Dot heads... Not what I'd think of for Tony... Well, it was the 80's... Great lineup too...
+reflexbc Once Tony went to the three floor-tom set up in the mid-seventies, I never heard him rock anything other than black dots, even playing the with brushes!
+Matt Hughen Interesting... Most jazz guys prefer coated heads... To be honest, I'm not that familiar with Tony's work, a situation that I should remedy... As far as the three floor toms, I don't even play with two, too far over to right for me...
+Matt Hughen Also, right as he's turning his snares off, he does what sounds like a roll on the bass drum, but I don't think he's using a double pedal... I don't see how that's technically possible...
He does a single roll between his right hand and the bass drum at that point.
That is how he got his sound
HOOOO! Une vraie bête !!
GHOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT DAYUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM TONY IS BAD AS FUCK! EMOTIONAL...WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! LOVE THIS
Immediately recognizable sound and style. Not many can achieve that. Still, I hope that he didn't have a black dot on his snare side, too ;)
Seppo Innanen : It does not matter what kind of heads he played on or drums for that matter. The result would still be the same. Nothing but GREATNESS!!!
Tony could play trash cans and lids and fuck them up...he was allowed to black dot anything he wanted...he felt into his kit so what ever drums and heads he played were really irrelevant...always good...regardless of equipment.
Seppo Innanen There are pictures where it looks like he’s got one on the snare side! If my eyes aren’t deceiving me, he was a madman in more than a couple ways.
😃💙🍀🌸
Hanckok is playing two notes & Williams is playing his ass off mentaly & physicaly.if any other human on the drumset couldnt back up the pianist like that!
herbie is giving him what he needs...they go so far back...its like deep love/sex
HERBIE IS GIVING HIM EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS...AND SOME...
herbie is giving tony exactly..... what he needs...exactly
As always and forever Tony is an anomaly there's simply no one like him.Tony's Rythmmicly and creatively on another planet.He is and has been for me simply the overall best drummer I have ever heard not the fastest or flashiest or most robotic but ask Keltner or Rich or Cobham ect. Really who's the Maaaaaaaaannnn.......Tony
Branford and Wynton?
tacci sua..ha un rullo della madonna
💙😃🌸🌱
Excellent solo! I've never seen a drummer use 3 floor toms like he does. Are there any other drummers that do that?
The first guy I saw with 3 was Billy Cobham with Mahavishnu in 1972 - then Lenny White with RTF in 1974. I saw Al Mouzon in 1973 and he had 4.... Not sure when Tony went that way, or who started it.
Lots.
And he tunes his toms ONE note apart - very odd and with those CS heads top AND bottom with internal mufflers TOP and BOTTOM he created an unmistakable very identifiable sound. Snare and BD very boxy. Lots of flams and flam rudiments. Single stroke rolls. 16th and 32nd note hand/foot phrases.
lenny white
I think that actually Dennis Chambers plays 3 FFT, or played them before.
What's the first song name?
0:53 tony rocking a felt strip batter side? Never seen that before!
Take notes...if the master tried it...it was probably for good reason ...in order to pull tone out of that particular drum.
******* 7 sters reated!
anyone know what tunes are being played here?
+newbloom The first solo is from the song "Arboretum" written by Tony Williams. It appeared on his 1986 album, Foreign Intrigue, a highly UNDERrated album. The second solo is from a Wayne Shorter tune that appeared on Miles in the Sky titled "Paraphernalia."
+Matt Hughen Thanks you!
Jazz ones.
Sure does hit his sticks a lot.
Derp
i have always like that in his playing...you actually hear --almost like its a part of the piece..and playing
And the reason is that he is alway pushing his limits and going for a highet level.
🤓🥁👍🏼