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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life Time, November 2, 2003
The recording
Life Time is Tony`s first recording as leader and composer. All of the tunes are Williams's originals, arranged with the help of Herbie Hancock.
Life Time has innate brilliance in its planning and execution; its inception is luminous.
Williams has come up with very interesting lineups for interesting compositions; on some pieces there are two basses and on some there are none, and on one piece there are only bass and piano...
This isn't a good place to start exploring jazz. If you're a casual listener or a smooth jazz fanatic, don't even bother trying this. May not make your toes tapping; its a rather jaw-dropping experience.
Music of Life Time is original, unpredictable, floating, wandering, uncompromising, demanding, searching, haunting, powerful, gloomy and atonal - but it remains rewarding. It is complex thorough out - but still very passionate, soulful, emotional, enjoyable...
Listening to this recording needs trained ear, open mind, concentration and willingness to explore, because these tracks don't really have a clear or steady rhythmic pulsation or melody line (that are obvious on some other recording such as Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder or Art Blakey's Moanin').
A bit uncompromising but very rewarding music when you begin to understand it. Experiencing this recording will probaly not be easy, but after some time you will begin to appreciate it.
This is the kind of music that is enduring, because it has so much to give and with every listen it reveals something new. Everything cannot be found with only one listening - needs extensive and intensive listening.
Still very fresh, exciting and rewarding music after 40 years - enduring music.
Life Time is a great par with Andrew Hill's Point Of Departure, Bobby Hutcherson's Dialogue and Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch.
This music could be considered as something between post-bop and avant-garde jazz. Life Time is a very artistic recording - it reminds me of Jackson Pollock's and Salvador Dali's paintings...
Some of the tracks seem to be almost too short. Time passes quickly when you`re listening to the beautiful work of art made by great musicians. None of the track is overly long - they could have easily been longer. Longest track is 10:36 and shortest is 5:31 minutes. There is a total 37.28 minutes of fine music to listen to.
None of these tracks is monotonous - they're very shifting and chancing. All the tunes are great - it is difficult to say which one is the standout. Two Pieces Of One: Red
Musicians: Sam Rivers (tenor sax); Richard Davis, Gary Peacock (bass); Tony Williams (drums).
"Red" is haunting, mysterious, gloomy and loose without being too avant-garde, completely free or far out there. It is played mainly on the lower register (but also above it). There's showers of bass... bass, bass, bass and some more bass, some saxophone too and not so much of drums (Williams stays a bit on the background here). There's some nice unison playing going on between sax and basses. There is also some duet bass playing is going on between Davis and Peacock. Two Pieces Of One: Green
Musicians: Sam Rivers (tenor sax); Richard Davis, Gary Peacock (bass); Tony Williams (drums).
"Green" is haunting, mysterious, loose but a bit brighter than "Red". It also seems to be a bit more "happier" or less gloomy. "Green" is played mainly on the mid register (but also around it). There is not so much bass this time, mainly sax and drums. Sam Rivers's playing is intense, strong and very skillful but capable to reach the listener's soul... He makes lots of shouts, shrieks and honking without being irritating or jarring at all. He is sometimes almost lyrical but then again powerful and witty and has some really interesting phrasing. Basses stay at the background (although Davis and Peacock have their moment at one place) creating gloomy atmosphere. Williams has plenty of playing now (although he is playing alone for some time, he is capable to keep listeners interested in what he is doing). Tomorrow Afternoon
Musicians: Sam Rivers (tenor sax); Gary Peacock (bass); Tony Williams (drums)
Rivers plays some really exhilarating solos here. Rivers's sax is again harsh with plenty of honking and some bumblebee blowing.
Speed varies maily from mid-tempo to fast. Interesting changes and variation of rhythm and soloing. Perhaps not as dark as previous tracks.Williams is very noticeable thorough the track. Some brief soloing by bass. Very changing - far from being monotonous. Bounces from one place to another. Very nice. Memory
Musicians: Bobby Hutcherson (vibes, marimba); Herbie Hancock (piano); Tony
Williams (drum set, tympani, wood block, maracas, triangle).
Memory is all about sound, soundscape.If previous tracks were gloomy and dark, then this one is the brighter one lacking harshness and brutality. It is also bit quiet track, definitely not volatile. There is really interesting shifting between sounds and quietness. It is mainly a Williams-Hutcherson show, though Hancock appears here and there. Memory is probably the most interesting track of the whole recording - as it is the only track that is improvised spontaneously in its entirety. It is very spacious(space music). Atonal but beautiful. This is the far-out-and-beyond track of the recording, but it manages to stay away from being cacophonic or jarring noice.
There are some stops and starts that make continuity seem unnecessary and that is one reason why this music is so advanced. Barb's Song To The Wizard
Musicians: Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (bass).
The duet playing of bass and piano is amazing; it is strong, powerful and keeps listeners interest - it is just stunning! Hancock`s playing is more pronounced here, than what it was on Memory. There's a nice shifting movement going one with soloing and backing. It is calm, passionate, soulful, intense, serene... beautiful! The first time I heard the openining track, I was blown away. It was something different, something I had never heard before. I hope you'll have the chance to experience it too. Life Time is a serious recording and it belongs to every serious jazz-collection. I recommend the CD to listeners who want be challenged and gain from the experience. Get this beautiful, mysterious music while it is available.
You can find more information about these deluxe Rudy van Gelder -edition CDs from my review on Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage. (Check it out).
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Advanced music that is continually enjoyable, April 21, 2000
Williams' Blue Note leader debut (recorded when he was only 18) showcases his versatility and already places him among the elite jazz drummers. He truly played the instrument as none other had before him. The first three tracks contains Sam Rivers' stretching avant-garde horn blowing furiously over two basses and of course Williams own brilliant drumming. "Memory" is a completely free improvisation between vibist Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Hancock and Williams, while the final song omits Williams drums altogether in lieu of an intriguing piano and bass exploration led by Hancock. Every track is completely accessible and introspective, and it still sounds advanced by today's standards. Brilliant music by a jazz giant.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A stunning debut., November 15, 2005
In 1964, 18 year old Tony Williams was on his way up. Acknowledged as one of the most capable drummers on the jazz scene and part of Miles Davis' band, Williams received his first sessions as a leader. Titling the album "Lifetime", the music is drawn from two sessions in August.
For the first session, Williams brought in tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, who he had worked with in Boston for what would be the tenor's first studio date and bassists Richard Davis and Gary Peacock on a session that would lodge Williams firmly in the avant-garde. The band performs three Williams compositions-- "Two Pieces of One: Red", "Two Pieces of One: Green" and "Tomorrow Afternoon". The two "Two Pieces of One" could scarcely be more different from each other-- 'Red' relies on moody theme statements with tenor doubled by arco basses and some brilliant bass soloing (including an arco/pizzicato dialog at the close of the piece). 'Green' is a feature primarily for Rivers-- the young leader and the tenor duet for several minutes before the performance turns over to a drum solo and then a quartet performance, all filled with far more frantic energy than 'Red'. "Tomorrow Afternoon" finds Williams working in a trio, with Richard Davis sitting out. The theme is a bit more straightforward but the performance finds Rivers exploring as far out as possible with the rhythmically loose Peacock and Williams behind him. One thing is consistent on these three pieces-- the performances are full of fire, energy and inventiveness.
The second session yielded two performances by two different groups. "Memory", performed by Bobby Hutcherson (on vibes and marimba), Herbie Hancock (at the piano) and Williams is sparse and minimalist in its arrangement, opening with a delicate marimba line and Williams on maracas and wood block before Hutcherson switches to vibes and Williams to the drum kit. The piece then begins to pick up in tempo and energy, yet remains remarkably loose. Even when Hancock joins, the piece never gets locked down and maintains a distinct freeness.
The closer, 'Barb's Song ot the Wizard", was composed by Williams but is performed as a duet between Hancock and bassist Ron Carter. Again, the performance is minimalist, with Hancock laying down a simple rhythmic line and Carter soloing frantically on top of it.
A quick note-- this is not to be confused with The Tony Williams Lifetime, generally regarded as the first fusion band (and also a worthwhile listen).
This reissue features fantastically improved sound, remastered as part of the "Rudy Van Gelder Edition" reissues, it sounds great, like it was recorded last year instead of in the '60s. The original liner notes are reproduced as well as a new essay by Bob Blumenthal examining the pieces.
Williams would go on to explore many venues of jazz, but this album really stands out as his excursion deep into the free jazz sounds he loved. The performances are top-notch throughout and the album stands well over time. Highly recommended.
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~ Tony Williams
~ Bobby Hutcherson
~ Tony Williams
~ Tony Williams
~ Tony Williams
by Tony Williams Lifetime 
