For the 24th Mosaic Select box set of reissues from the Blue Note vaults, series producer Michael Cuscuna has chosen five recordings in a seven-year span from 1985-1991 by drummer/bandleader Tony Williams. Note that this is not the complete Tony Williams on Blue Note, excluding his sessions after having left the Miles Davis Quintet, especially Life Time, Spring, and his sideman work with Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, and Sam Rivers. The complete latter-period group recordings included are Foreign Intrigue, Civilization, Angel Street, Native Heart, and The Story of Neptune. All are solidly in the modern mainstream post-bop mode, featuring the forceful, driving drumming of Williams, and all the sets feature the brilliant pianist Mulgrew Miller with Miles devotee trumpeter Wallace Roney. Tenor and soprano saxophonist Bill Pierce is paired on the sides except Foreign Intrigue. Ron Carter, Charnett Moffett, and Ira Coleman are the bassists, with Robert Hurst making a cameo on three tracks. These are individualistic, solid players, giving Williams the opportunity to not only jam with the best, but write music geared toward their personalized sounds and stances. Four of the five sessions were done in New York City; only Civilization was done elsewhere, in Los Angeles. Of the 38 selections, four are unaccompanied drum solos, and three are covers or standards. There are a few waltzes and no ballads as one might expect, though Miller's piano rhapsodically introduces two tracks. The remainder are original compositions of Williams. Give the drummer some credit, as a total musician and composer. The recordings are programmed in chronological order, starting with Foreign Intrigue, which likely is overall the best of the lot. Williams introduces some of these compositions and utilizes his acoustic kit with a drum machine and electronic drums. There are some classics on this one, like the title track, the hard bopper "Clearways," the cool bluesy "Takin' My Time," and the loping by-now standard "Sister Cheryl." Bobby Hutcherson's presence on vibes truly uplifts this session, as does Donald Harrison's alto sax, the only alto on the compilation.
- Ron Carter (Bass)
- Wallace Roney (Trumpet)
- Robert Hurst (Bass)
- Ira Coleman (Bass)
- Donald Harrison (Sax Alto)
- Bobby Hutcherson (Vibraphone)
- Mulgrew Miller (Piano)
- Charnett Moffett (Bass)
- Billy Pierce (Sax Soprano)
- Billy Pierce (Sax Tenor)
- Tony Williams (Drums)
Disc 1
1. Foreign Intrigue (A) 5:28
2. My Michele (A) 6:54
3. Life Of The Party (A) 6:08
4. Takin' My Time (A) 6:43
5. Clearways (A) 5:07
6. Sister Cheryl (A) 7:04
7. Arboretum (A) 5:58
8. Geo Rose (B) 7:22
9. Warrior (B) 5:34
10. Ancient Eyes (B) 5:28
11. Soweto Nights (B) 6:36
12. The Slump (B) 6:26
13. Civilization (B) 4:29
Disc 2
1. Mutants On The Beach (B) 5:58
2. Citadel (B) 6:41
3. Angel Street (C) 8:18
4. Touch Me (C) 1:22
5. Red Mask (C) 7:06
6. Kiss Me (C) 0:52
7. Dreamland (C) 9:35
8. Only With You (C) 5:56
9. Pee Wee (C) 6:40
10. Thrill Me (C) 0:46
11. Obsession (C) 4:19
12. Native Heart (D1) 8:43
13. Extreme Measures (D2) 8:43
Disc 3
1. City Of Lights (D1) 6:25
2. Two Worlds (D2) 5:15
3. Juicy Fruit (D2) 9:47
4. Crystal Palace (D1) 7:00
5. Liberty (D) 5:11
6. The Story Of Neptune: Overture (E) 5:04
7. The Story Of Neptune: Fear Not (E) 6:56
8. The Story Of Neptune: Creatures Of Conscience (E) 6:55
9. Blackbird (E) 5:35 (J. Lennon-P. McCartney)
10. Crime Scene (E) 7:04
11. Poinciana (E) 10:10 (N. Simon-B. Bernier)
12. Birdlike (E) 3:30 (Freddie Hubbard)
