Jazz Times March 1998
On his second session (as a leader, this time on his own label, Willful Music), veteran drummer Jeff Williams leads a provocative quintet, invigorated by frequent collaborators Tim Ries (tenor and soprano saxes), award-winning tenor saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli, exceptionally talented pianist Kevin Hays, and elemental bassist Doug Weiss. The album title may be lacking in originality, but the magnetic force of their music isn't. Soloists stretch out muscularly on Williams' eight originals, and yet, bolstered by grooving rhythms, their warmly rendered musings remain engaging and listener-friendly throughout. -Nancy Ann Lee
Down Beat February 1998
(****)
New York based drummer/composer Williams documented these eight compositions in August 1995. The writing is fresh and of today; we hear bits of Shorter, Scofield, Motian, but nothing overarching. Williams writes the drums into the line: The sober "Lament" has the leader playing unison figures with bassist Doug Weiss, pianist Kevin Hays and tenorist Tim Ries; "Funhouse Living" intersperses drum breaks with the melody. Form and harmony are basic to Williams' songs, but they can be stretched, maneuvered; the catchy 'Borderline' evolves into a loose platform for Patrick Zimmerli's tenor; the funk of "The Hunt" has an abstract streak as well. Let's hear more. -Zan Stewart
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All Compositions by Jeff Williams
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Jazz (France) March 1993 (translation)
Twenty years after being discovered by Stan Getz, Jeff Williams has recorded his debut album, presenting a quintet of four young musicians, among whom only the pianist Kevin Hays is well known. Tim Ries and Pat Zimmerli are saxophonists equally at home on tenor and soprano, and on the bass clarinet as on the flute, both are instrumentalists who easily find the resources to adapt themselves to the diverse atmospheres created by the music on this recording, composed entirely by Williams. For the record, note that Ries has worked with Maynard Ferguson and that Zimmerli has just completed his studies at Columbia University in New York. Bassist Doug Weiss, a little older than the saxophonists, is a Chicagoan who also come out of the music conservatory system. This studious group is resolutely up to date. It moves in different but complementary directions without letting the listener lose interest. From jazz with an almost metronomic tempo to free jazz with decentralized rhythm, Jeff Williams leads his group on a musical evolution which even touches on dreamy odes on the very edge of new age. A variety of tones and atmospheres will definitely hold the attention of the listener interested in discovering new talents. -Jean-Louis Ginibre
Jazz In Time (Belgium) issue 37, 1993 (translation)
There's always much anticipation before playing a debut recording by a drummer, who is far too often viewed as just a sideman. He must first of all create his own style distinct from that of his illustrious predecessors, though less distinct from their spirit, while also paying them homage-"The Messenger" in honor of Art Blakey is certainly a choice which grants the ease and savoir-faire of Jeff Williams, whose value is well know to Stan Getz, Dave Liebman, and Paul Bley, as well as many others since he has been on his own. Today he plays in Joe Lovano's new quartet. Here, he appears as drummer, composer, and leader of young wolves with big teeth. His original compositions have the merit of stretching from neo-bop (except "Desbrosses Street") to attempting to reactivate Coltrane's message, which is fairly flagrant in "Autonomy", in which Zimmerli throws himself into an improvisation which says a great deal about his ability to integrate and reformulate said message. Elsewhere, it is more the AACM and Roscoe Mitchell who have left their mark on Zimmerli ("Skullduggery"). Full of passion, "Dialogue/Coalescence" is my favorite piece, originally written as a duo for Joe Lovano. On "Missing Link" and "Wondering" the playing calms down. Developing the instrumental maturity of his musicians is Williams' declared goal. And his own maturity has been achieved: precision (the 6/4 beat in "Skullduggery"), inventiveness, drive that keeps the machine going but is never overpowering (as on the other hand the lamented Buhaina could be). Moreover, it's only on "The Messenger" that he can really be heard taking a solo. There are hints of Elvin Jones (in the polyrhythmic density) and Jack DeJohnette (in the resonance of the cymbals) in Williams. And for me, there is this recording, which has moved into the pole position among all the new releases. -Bernard Legros
Available on Itunes
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Audio Archive
Jeff Williams, Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek - Circadian Rhythms: Live at the Internet Cafe NYC '99
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Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Scott Lee, Jeff Williams "Portrait Of Jenny", Montreaux Jazz Festival 1994
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Drum solo excerpts from Joe Lovano and Universal Language at Montreaux 1994
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