soulpope Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 After listening recently to following records I was more more than ever amazed by Buster Williams and his playing - of course, as he was a frequent contributor to recording sessions, I should have a number of these in my collection - nevertheless I would be interested, which recordings - from other boardmember`s perspective - show his abilities to best effect..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 The three albums with Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band - Mwandishi / Crossings / Sextant He was at his most creative at that time. I was a bit disappointed when he returned to a more conventional style afterwards, e.g. with his great supporting work in Ron Carter's Piccolo Bass Quartet, or Sphere (which was Carter's rhythm section: Kenny Baron, Williams, and Ben Riley.) Those you have listed are indeed very good. There were two trio LPs of Jimmy Rowles with Williams and Billy Hart on Choice that you may like when you dig the Mary Lou Williams LP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 The three albums with Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band - Mwandishi / Crossings / Sextant He was at his most creative at that time. I was a bit disappointed when he returned to a more conventional style afterwards, e.g. with his great supporting work in Ron Carter's Piccolo Bass Quartet, or Sphere (which was Carter's rhythm section: Kenny Baron, Williams, and Ben Riley.) Those you have listed are indeed very good. There were two trio LPs of Jimmy Rowles with Williams and Billy Hart on Choice that you may like when you dig the Mary Lou Williams LP. Mike, thnx for your speedy feedback - yes the two Jimmy Rowles Choice outings are superb....have to confess that I do not now any of the three Hancock Mwandishi recordings though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 If you can find it, this is a good multi-faceted overview of his work: (Originally on Muse; the version pictured was on 32Jazz.) The album's tracks are in a number of different styles. There's a quartet with Roy Ayers, Kenny Barron and Billy Hart; duets with Barron, with Ayers, and with Jimmy Rowles; and one track where the quartet is augmented with percussion and voice. The presence of Ayers gives a clue: another musician who was comfortable in many different musical settings, who wasn't that concerned with the way he was "defined." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Woody Shaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 (edited) Woody Shaw Thnx....but - which one with Woody Shaw you dig most ? Edited May 30, 2014 by soulpope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uli Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 w Bartz, Fortune, Barron, DeJohnette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 (edited) Woody ShawThnx....but - which one with Woody Shaw you dig most ? Setting Standards Edited May 30, 2014 by jlhoots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcello Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Get this one, of you can find it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Contrary to Mike, I consider Buster's playing on the various recordings by Sphere to be marvelous. One of my very favorite sessions by Buster is on the session titled - We Three - on DIW with Stanley Cowell and Freddie Waits. Williams also does an excellent job on Charles McPherson - McPherson's Mood on Prestige, and on Bobby Hutcherson - In The Vanguard on Landmark. Buster Williams plays on a very large number of other recordings in my collection, and it would be difficult to find one where he did not play very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Is the Charles Williams Jr. who plays bass on this record actually Buster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheorghe Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Buster Williams is sure one of my favourite bassists. I can´t mention exactly now, which albums I like most, cause I like em all, but sure I remember several occasions when I saw him live, one of them was of course his part with the Ron Carter Quartet, I think it was Velden 1979. I still remember that I paid more attention to what Buster was doing, than the leader himself on piccolo bass.With all due respect to Ron. The other thing was a Benny Golson-Curtis Fuller line up, where Buster really grooved. And I love the rhythm team Buster and Al Foster. There´s a great little record on Muse, Cecil Payne "Bird Get´s the Worm", where they are playing, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Just because, this is a big part of who he is and how he got there. And it's a damn good Nancy Wilson record in the process. And throw in a The Jazz Crusaders record(s) of your choice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 'Tough Talk' by the Jazz Crusaders is a good one with Buster Williams. Not to mention Herbie's 'The Prisoner' on Blue Note. I remember seeing his quartet open a small-ish gig quite a few years ago with his excellent tune 'Firewater' and getting to watch the show from the back of the stage. Great stuff ! Is the Charles Williams Jr. who plays bass on this record actually Buster? I think so. I've seen 'Firewater' credited to this name on record labels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Buster Williams is sure one of my favourite bassists. I can´t mention exactly now, which albums I like most, cause I like em all, but sure I remember several occasions when I saw him live, one of them was of course his part with the Ron Carter Quartet, I think it was Velden 1979. I still remember that I paid more attention to what Buster was doing, than the leader himself on piccolo bass.With all due respect to Ron. The other thing was a Benny Golson-Curtis Fuller line up, where Buster really grooved. And I love the rhythm team Buster and Al Foster. There´s a great little record on Muse, Cecil Payne "Bird Get´s the Worm", where they are playing, Yes the Buster Williams-Al Foster rhythm tandem fits perfectly....although not really being a big fan of the Venus productions overall, this one is excellent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Just because, this is a big part of who he is and how he got there. And it's a damn good Nancy Wilson record in the process. And throw in a The Jazz Crusaders record(s) of your choice too. Unfortunately I can't see the the record you`re rerefering too - could you pls specify in writing ? And your damn right about his playing with the Crusaders, which for me raised them another level..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 The Charles Williams Jr. on the Jack Wilson LP is indeed "Buster", which was kind of his nickname. Wilson, Williams, ansd Roy Ayers all knew each other from their days in California, and all played in Gerald Wilson's band at some time - I'm not sure about Williams as he was a member of Nancy Wilson's touring band at the time. Roy Ayers' Atlantic LP "Virgo Vibes" has Williams, too - that's where Williams and Hancock may have met. Williams was a member of Hancock's sextet even before the Mwandishi band and can be heard on that beautiful Blue Note album, "The Prisoner", to great advantage. There is quite some praise about Buster from other members of the Jazz Crusaders in the booklet of the Mosaic box. He was and is very versatile. Had a modern approach but a good groove as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 The Charles Williams Jr. on the Jack Wilson LP is indeed "Buster", which was kind of his nickname. Wilson, Williams, ansd Roy Ayers all knew each other from their days in California, and all played in Gerald Wilson's band at some time - I'm not sure about Williams as he was a member of Nancy Wilson's touring band at the time. Roy Ayers' Atlantic LP "Virgo Vibes" has Williams, too - that's where Williams and Hancock may have met. Williams was a member of Hancock's sextet even before the Mwandishi band and can be heard on that beautiful Blue Note album, "The Prisoner", to great advantage. There is quite some praise about Buster from other members of the Jazz Crusaders in the booklet of the Mosaic box. He was and is very versatile. Had a modern approach but a good groove as well. Mike, a comment/appraisal from your side on "Virgo Vibes", as this is available via the recent japanese Atlanic Reissue Series, would come highly appreciated...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Just because, this is a big part of who he is and how he got there. And it's a damn good Nancy Wilson record in the process. And throw in a The Jazz Crusaders record(s) of your choice too. Unfortunately I can't see the the record you`re rerefering too - could you pls specify in writing ? And your damn right about his playing with the Crusaders, which for me raised them another level..... No problem - Nancy Wilson's Tender Loving Care, or just TLC. If you're going to like Nancy Wilson at all, you're going to like this one, I'd think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 another esteemed goodie of mine featuring Buster Williams.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 Just because, this is a big part of who he is and how he got there. And it's a damn good Nancy Wilson record in the process. And throw in a The Jazz Crusaders record(s) of your choice too. Unfortunately I can't see the the record you`re rerefering too - could you pls specify in writing ? And your damn right about his playing with the Crusaders, which for me raised them another level..... No problem - Nancy Wilson's Tender Loving Care, or just TLC. If you're going to like Nancy Wilson at all, you're going to like this one, I'd think. Oh yeah. Lovely creative Buster there -- he's like a whole section of the orchestra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted May 31, 2014 Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 An impressive list on his website: http://www.busterwilliams.com/discography.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted May 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2014 another one of the "beauties".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheorghe Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Don´t forget Buster Williams great contribution on Hancock´s first VSOP album, the tunes with the sextet. Buster is great on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HutchFan Posted November 14, 2015 Report Share Posted November 14, 2015 (edited) Picking up another old thread... For starters, I'd recommend these: Plus the three in soulpope's initial post! Buster is THE MAN. Edited November 14, 2015 by HutchFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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