Jeff Williams - Home (original) (raw)
Born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Jeff began his professional jazz drumming career in New York in 1971. By '72 he was playing with Stan Getz, followed by
Dave Liebman and Lookout Farm through 1976. His other associations include Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Paul Bley, Bill McHenry, Ethan Iverson,
Tony Malaby, Leo Genovese and a host of others. Since making a second home in London some years ago Jeff has performed with Kenny Wheeler,
Norma Winstone, Martin Speake, Nikki Illes, Olie Brice and more, in addition to leading his own bands, whose members have included Phil Robson,
Kit Downes, Finn Peters, Josh Arcoleo, Sam Lasserson, John O'Gallagher, Duane Eubanks and John Hébert. Jeff has recorded six albums for the Whirlwind Recordings label showcasing his original compositions. 2019's Bloomfeatures Carmen Staaf - piano and Michael Formanek - bass,
while 2020's Road Tales -Live at London Jazz Festival has longtime associates John O'Gallagher, Josh Arcoleo and Sam Lasserson.
A recent relocation from London to Lisbon begins a new chapter. 2024 also sees the release of Jeff's seventh for Whirlwind, In Duo, with Dave Liebman.
A recent relocation from London to Lisbon begins a new chapter.
Upcoming performances:
12 January w/Gonçalo Marques, Demian Cabaud, John O'Gallagher
Penhasco, Lisbon
31 January w/Gonçalo Marques/Demian Cabaud Quartet Porto, Portugal
19 to 23 February w/Demian Cabaud Trio - Portuguese tour
11, 12, 13 March w/Margaux Oswald & Michael Formanek:
11 So What, 12 Timbuktu, 13 SMUP (Portugal)
10 May w/Gonçalo Marques Quartet - Castelo Branco (Portugal)
https://jeffwilliams2.bandcamp.com/album/round-up
May 2022 Quartet at Pizza Express, London
with John O'Gallagher, Josh Arcoleo, Calum Gourlay
Only available here. No physical copies.
Latest release on Whirlwind:
David Liebman & Jeff Williams In Duo at Bar Room 432, NYC 1991
Listen and Order here:
Whirlwind announcement ( 26 Jan. 2024)
All About Jazz review 1 March 2024. ****
By Neil Duggan
"There is a wonderful hidden treasure trove of jazz recordings which keep
being unearthed from old radio broadcasts, forgotten corners of attics or,
in this case, boxes of old cassette tapes. Drummer Jeff Williams was delving
through some old cassettes made during his extensive career. He found a
recording from an improvisational session he made in 1991 with saxophonist
Dave Liebman. The recording was made at a session at Bar Room 432, on the
West Side of 14th Street in Manhattan.
The two musicians had previously worked together in Liebman's
improvisational band, Lookout Farm. Following the break-up of that band
in 1976, the two briefly played as a duo, opening for Gary Burton, and can be
heard on Liebman's The Last Call (Ego Records, 1979).
Williams has considerable international experience, including extensive work
with Lee Konitz. As well as Lookout Farm, he has played with Stan Getz and
formed his own bands, notably Coalescence and the trio Circadian Rhythms
with Tony Malaby and Michael Formanek. Liebman has had a sparkling
career, recording with Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and many other
key names. Other activities have included writing hundreds of original
compositions, producing instructional materials and garnering multiple
awards along the way, including an NEA Jazz Master.
He is one of the most significant and prolific saxophonists of the last fifty
years.
This recording, In Duo, had no rehearsal, no set list; they just carried on from
the last time they had played together, spontaneously improvising and
exploring in front of an amenable and open-minded audience. In the best
tradition of cassette recording, the two tracks are called "Side A" and
"Side B." Each lasts around 20 minutes. The recording has been remastered
by sound engineer, Alex Bonney. Despite the provenance, there is no
"bootleg" feel about the recording, just a warm mood, a live atmosphere
and a change from studio polish.
The first set starts with fast soprano saxophone phrases as Williams drives in
to a groove. They become more impassioned, the speed increases, the
saxophone wails and slurs with darting runs, eventually leading to an
explosive barrage of drums before the track moves into a slower ballad-like
section with the saxophone more plaintive and melodic.
Side B is less frenetic. Liebman's saxophone plays blues-tinged phrases,
Williams subtly develops a soulful groove before forcefully driving the pace
forward. Liebman's playing becomes incendiary and intense, pushing his sax
to extremes, before they subside in the last few minutes.
This is raw, unfiltered music, created in the moment, involving a degree of
chance. Liebman's mastery of the soprano saxophone is indisputable, moving
from light melody to daring intensity. Williams is the perfect foil, knowing how
to respond and when to match that intensity.
An intoxicating experience for admirers of free-jazz. Let us hope many
more of these forgotten recordings keep coming to light."
(Condensed) review from: Marlbank.net:
"Letthis wash all over you - a live freedom-loving stream of consciousness duo
record from sax legend Dave Liebman and drummer Jeff Williams made in a
New York bar in the early 1990s and not available until now. Lieb plays like a
demon ably accompanied by a lit-up Williams, never the most outrageously
loud or extrovert of players, but whose style here goes that bit further and
lands in the ''multi-directional'' style favoured by the likes of Rashied Ali
down the years. If you ever grow tired of glossy massively produced recording
sessions then this is the antidote and a welcome reset that draws us to the
fundamentals of just what we love about modernistic free-jazz in the first place.
Find the time to listen to everything in one sitting for the most maximum,
exhilarating, effect." (Complete Review from: Marlbank.net)
Jazz Views
David Liebman/Jeff Williams – In Duo
by George Cole Feb 1, 2024 Album Reviews, International
"For this listener, it was an exhilarating ride."
Whirlwind Recordings WR4817
David Liebman (soprano sax); Jeff Williams (drums)
Recorded Bar Room 432, Manhattan, New York 1991
"Forget about drum and bass – this recording is all about drum and sax. Take two men,
one soprano saxophone and one drum kit, and what you get is a mesmerising performance,
completely improvised, with no planning, no preparation and no pre-prepared music.
It could be a recipe for disaster, but in the hands of Dave Liebman and Jeff Williams, i
t’s an exhilarating musical journey literally into the unknown. Call it free-jazz; call it
avant-garde, call it formless, but whatever name you use, you are hearing music being
created in the moment. It’s the musical equivalent of walking a tightrope blindfolded.
For many people, the definition of jazz is improvisation, but in most cases,
even an improvised jazz performance has some form of structure, designed
to guide the ensemble, but on this record, everything is created on-the-fly, i
n two sets totalling more than forty minutes. It goes without saying, that this
type of playing requires musicians who are fully cognizant with each other’s
playing, and who are in total harmony (both figuratively and literally).
Liebman and Williams go back a long way. Dave Liebman (although the album
cover uses the more formal form David) is well known for his association with
Elvin Jones and Miles Davis (he played in Miles’s band in 1973-4). Jeff Williams
has played with Paul Bley, Stan Getz and Joe Lovano.
When Liebman left Miles’s band in 1974, he formed the band Lookout Farm,
with Jeff Williams, pianist Riche Beirach and bassist Frank Tusa. Percussionist
Badal Roy (another Miles alumnus) later joined the line-up. The album,
Lookout Farm, was released by ECM and billed as a Dave Liebman recording.
It included guest musicians like Badal Roy (who played tabla), Don Alias and
John Abercrombie. The music was a mix of acoustic and electric; east and west.In 1976. Lookout Farm won the ‘Group Deserving of Wider Recognition’ category in
Down Beat’s International Critics’ Poll. Ironically, the band broke up in the same year.
Soon after, Liebman and Williams performed as a duo, supporting Gary Burton on tour.
A recording of their duo performance is on Liebman’s 1979 album The Last Call.
After the tour, Liebman and Williams went their own way, at least musically.
Fast forward to 1990, and Williams discovered a Manhattan bar, Bar Room 432.
He persuaded the owners to start a jazz club, which ran for six nights a week.
One of the gigs was a duo performance with Williams and Joe Lovano.
Liebman heard about the gig and suggested he and Williams also perform together at
the venue. This recording is that gig. Williams recorded the performance using what he
describes as a, ‘Pretty good cassette recorder.’ After playing the tape once, Williams put it
away and then forgot about it. It was only by discovering the cassette by chance many
years later and sending a copy to Liebman (who raved about the performance), that
Williams got the idea of releasing it to the public. The recording has been digitized,
sonically tweaked and remastered by sound engineer Alex Bonney.
I’d love to know more about how the gig was recorded, and what work Bonney did to
make the performance sound so good – this is a million miles away
from any bootleg recording. The drums for example, are powerful but not over-powering,
and the cymbals sound crisp and clear. You would never guess that these two musicians
hadn’t played together for fifteen years. The first set (simply called Set 1) begins as an
uptempo number and it sounds as if the two musicians have been unleashed
onto the stage. Both men play frenetically, and Liebman’s soprano squeals, shrieks,
squawks and wails, but without ever sounding ugly. Williams keeps driving the music
forward, and at the eight-minute mark, he plays volcanic drum solo, packed with
explosive fills and cymbal smashes. The music then becomes less frenetic, as Liebman
plays circular melodic riffs over Williams’ gentle tumbling drum pattern, and the music
morphs into a ballad, before the first set ends.
Set 2 starts off slower-paced and more melodic than the first set, with Williams’ playing a
series of light-touch strokes on cymbals and toms as Liebman’s soprano winds sweetly
along. Around the seven-minute mark, the sound becomes more agitated as Liebman
switches to playing a series of lightning trills and the drumming becomes more forceful
and explosive. The effect is like a volcano that has been quietly emitting ash and steam
before violently erupting. The playing becomes wild and exciting before slowly winding
down in the final three minutes. To use yet another simile, it’s as if the listener has been
sitting on a roller coaster slowly crawling its way towards the top, before plunging rapidly
back to earth. For this listener, it was an exhilarating ride."
Interviews:
26 March 2022 interview at Dr Jazz Talks
December 2020 Interview at London Jazz News
November 2020 interview at Jazzbluesnews
November 2020 interview at The Drum Shuffle
December 2020 Special Whirlwind feature
Live Performances on YouTube:
Panoply (John O'Gallagher, Michael Formanek, Jeff Williams)
Jeff with Leo Genovese & Demian Cabaud
Jeff with Marc Copland & Drew Gress
Jeff with Joe Lovano's Universal Language
Jeff with Joe Lovano's Universal Language
Jeff with Art Farmer & Clifford Jordan