Buster Williams

soulpope · 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.....

mikeweil · 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.

soulpope · 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.....

mjzee · 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."

jlhoots · May 30, 2014

Woody Shaw

soulpope · May 30, 2014

Woody Shaw

Thnx....but - which one with Woody Shaw you dig most ?

Edited May 30, 2014 by soulpope

uli · May 30, 2014

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w Bartz, Fortune, Barron, DeJohnette

jlhoots · May 30, 2014

Woody Shaw

Thnx....but - which one with Woody Shaw you dig most ?

Setting Standards

Edited May 30, 2014 by jlhoots

marcello · May 31, 2014

Get this one, of you can find it:

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Peter Friedman · 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.

mjzee · May 31, 2014

Is the Charles Williams Jr. who plays bass on this record actually Buster?

Gheorghe · 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,

JSngry · 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.

sidewinder · 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.

soulpope · 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

soulpope · 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.....

mikeweil · 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.

soulpope · 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......

JSngry · 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.

soulpope · May 31, 2014

another esteemed goodie of mine featuring Buster Williams....

Larry Kart · 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.