Zoning

Mary Lou Williams | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 17, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B000001DM4
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,904 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Thirteen tracks (including previously unreleased version of Syl-o-gism and Gloria) embodying her always-distinctive compositions, lyricism, power, and adventurous harmonies. In the extensive notes to this reissue, Bob Blumenthal states that "its appearance in 1974 served as a revelation and a reaffirmation of what had always made Williams so unique. She was still stretching the boundaries, with harmonic, rhythmic, and formal notions that bordered on the avant-garde; yet her ear for melody and her deep immersion in the blues idiom remained." Williams is backed by pianist Zita Carno, bassist Bob Crenshaw, and drummer Mickey Roker. "Her music remains so fresh and free." —Musician

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fine album, September 3, 2000

By 

p dizzle "p dizzle" (augusta, georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zoning (Audio CD)

mary lou williams managed something few artists in any genre are able to do: work for 50+ years and always sound fresh as the day you started. this album was the first after she took a sabbatical in the 60s to focus on sacred music, and rather than adopt a sound reminiscent of her past as a swing musician and big band arranger, she offered an album very much in tune with the stylistic changes of jazz in the 60s. the feeling here is definitely blues, but with modal and free tones mixed in. the format is a trio featuring micky roker on drums and bob cranshaw on electric bass who are energizing in their support. ms. williams keeps it funky from the outset. 'syl-o-gism' was not on the original release of the album, but sets the tone with a big beat. things vamp along until we get to 'zoning fungus', a reworking of another composition, 'fungus amungus' (think she had listened to mingus?). here she adds another piano to the mix and the sound is definitely free, but the structured free jazz of cecil taylor rather than the explosions of trane or albert ayler. the remainder settles back into the groove, closing with the wonderful romp 'play it momma.' that pretty much sums up the listener's feelings as the cd ends! enjoy...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mary Lou Scores, May 30, 2000

By 

Bill Wood - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zoning (Audio CD)

Linda Dahl, Mary Lou Williams' biographer, wrote that the pianist made her best music "when she was old". This 1974 recording proves the point. Everything we associate with Williams, the power, the feeling, the hovering sense of darkness at the edges, are all here. Whatever her emotional life may have been, to me, the sound of Mary Lou Williams is the sound of the genie leaving the bottle. My own personal favorite track is "Medi 1", but there is not a low point on this CD. This is great, great music played by one of the giants of jazz at her absolute peak.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new jazz sound, what a surprise, December 19, 2000

By 

Wolfgang Kuhnle (Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zoning (Audio CD)

There is always something new to detect in jazz music. I bought this record to prepare myself for Dave Douglas's Soul on Soul. Mary Lou Williams was a discovery for me, thanks to Dave Douglas. Her rhythms are surprisingly effective, if you know what I mean (most probably not, unless you have heard this record and possible others of her as well). If you believe that you know everything about jazz music, try this one. The monotonies of Zoning are very zen-like (another seemingly stupid sentence until you listen to the record).