Like us on Facebook! / snapshotsfoundation and visit www.snapshotsfoundation.com/ Howard Johnson: Tony Williams Interview pt.1 p Catherine Sebastian, Rick Mattingly
Thank you for these priceless treasures of Tony Williams revelation. Some of the most fascinating gems here for me personally are that Tony was allowed to sit-in with Art Blakey and Max Roach's bands, and that he initially had no knowledge of rudiments. By way of his association with Alan Dawson, Tony was more of a conceptual and creative player rather than being technique & rudiment based. Consequently, Tony developed his own personal style largely through observation, idiosyncratic interpretation, and creative experimentation, with knowledge and command of rudiments coming later. Tony himself elaborates on the details & influences of his creative development in the excellent three part "Zildjian Day" clinic here on YT; his largely self-educated approach has at its core the same X-factor that gave us Coltrane, Hendrix, Jaco, and Eddie Van Halen. I attended an Alan Dawson clinic in Los Angeles in the latter 70s, and could immediately hear the influence he had on Tony, not technically but in terms of his high-pitched tuning and a distinctly musical, almost melodic approach to the drums. I was fortunate to have seen Tony live numerous times, and it was always nothing less than a supernatural experience. Thank you again for this great contribution to Tony Williams history.
This is mindblowing - I am a lifelong drummer, and Tony Williams has been an inspiration to me since my high school years, earlier in fact. One of those drummers: when you hear them for the first time, your life changes and the world is never the same, he’s that level of artist. What a background and what a history. Gratitude to the great Mr. Howard Johnson, (RIP) and whomever presented this interview
Thank you for these priceless treasures of Tony Williams revelation. Some of the most fascinating gems here for me personally are that Tony was allowed to sit-in with Art Blakey and Max Roach's bands, and that he initially had no knowledge of rudiments. By way of his association with Alan Dawson, Tony was more of a conceptual and creative player rather than being technique & rudiment based. Consequently, Tony developed his own personal style largely through observation, idiosyncratic interpretation, and creative experimentation, with knowledge and command of rudiments coming later. Tony himself elaborates on the details & influences of his creative development in the excellent three part "Zildjian Day" clinic here on YT; his largely self-educated approach has at its core the same X-factor that gave us Coltrane, Hendrix, Jaco, and Eddie Van Halen. I attended an Alan Dawson clinic in Los Angeles in the latter 70s, and could immediately hear the influence he had on Tony, not technically but in terms of his high-pitched tuning and a distinctly musical, almost melodic approach to the drums. I was fortunate to have seen Tony live numerous times, and it was always nothing less than a supernatural experience. Thank you again for this great contribution to Tony Williams history.
This is mindblowing - I am a lifelong drummer, and Tony Williams has been an inspiration to me since my high school years, earlier in fact. One of those drummers: when you hear them for the first time, your life changes and the world is never the same, he’s that level of artist.
What a background and what a history. Gratitude to the great Mr. Howard Johnson, (RIP) and whomever presented this interview
Thank you, Greg. Howard was giving with his time and stories. His, and Tony's legacy live on.
Such lucid and detailed recounts of important shit! Even down to the weather that day in '63! Amazing !!!
Thank you Howard! that is an important time for music must all ways be remembered..
..one of the baddest drummers in the world
According to Wiki, Howard Johnson passed away in NYC in Jan 2021.
What's the name of the openingstrack? Thanks..
Sam got out of the joint for the 2nd time ,sam?