Uploaded by projazz on September 30, 2019 at 5:35 pm

"One of drummer Tony Williams' final studio projects, this adventurous effort alternates selections by an all-star quintet (which includes tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, guitarist Pat Metheny, pianist Herbie Hancock and bassist Stanley Clarke) with string orchestra tracks (usually using the rhythm section). Williams wrote most of the music (there is one song apiece from Metheny and Clarke), and despite the general unpredictability of the music (which ranges from melancholy to fiery), there is a surprising unity throughout the CD. Highlights include the pretty opener for strings "Wilderness Rising," a lyrical quintet number, "The Night You Were Born," the rockish freakout "China Moon" and the heated "Gambia"; only guitarist Lyle Workman's guest spot on his droning "Machu Picchu" is a minus. Otherwise, this is intriguing music that rewards repeated listenings, making one further appreciate the great loss suffered as a result of Tony Williams' premature death." - Scott Yanow/AllMusic "A full orchestra joins Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny and Stanley Clarke in this collection of tone poems that compare and contrast several takes on the meaning of wilderness. The leader provides a glimpse of the moods being portrayed through his choice of titles, as well as by supplying in the liner notes several familiar quotations about mankind and the natural world. Drummer Williams, who led the fusion band Lifetime in decades past, opts to contrast the natural sounds of an orchestra with the electronic sounds from keyboard synthesizers, electric bass, and electric guitar. Three distinct thoughts on wilderness present themselves through the musical moods being portrayed. The full orchestra, with its natural sounds, supplies pastoral scenes of the outdoors. The fusion quintet, through its "China Town" trilogy, expresses the brash rhythmic attitude of city life. Several pieces are special in that they employ thoughtful and soulful improvisation, which of course comes from that other wilderness lying deep within the mind. "The Night You Were Born" features Michael Brecker with a challenging tenor sax outing that shows off his technique and deep, ringing tone. Hancock on piano and Metheny on guitar blend to produce an image of some smoky dance hall late at night with only a few customers left standing around. Hancock stretches out in "Gambia" to share his unique mix of energetic and blues-based piano stylings; Metheny follows that with some of his delicate and fluid solo guitar work. Finally, "Cape Wilderness" sums it all up with fine solo work and group interplay from the quintet. Recommended." - Jim Santella/AllAboutJazz 1. Wilderness Rising (Williams) 2. China Town (Williams) 3. Infant Wilderness (Van Tongetern/Williams) 4. Harlem Mist '55 (Clarke) 5. China Road (Williams) 6. The Night You Were Born (Methey) 7. Wilderness Voyager (Van Tongeren/Williams) 8. Machu Picchu (Workman) 9. China Moon (Williams) 10. Wilderness Island (Williams) 11. Sea Wilderness (Van Tongeren/Williams) 12. Gambia (Williams) 13. Cape Wilderness (Williams)Tony Williams - Drums, Main Performer, Author, Orchestration Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor) Herbie Hancock - Piano Pat Metheny - Guitar Rick Todd - French Horn Chuck Berghofer - Bass Charles Boito - Clarinet Kenneth Burward-Hoy - Viola Alexis Carreon - Viola Stanley Clarke - Bass, Orchestration Brian Dembow - Viola Earl Dumler - Oboe David Duke - French Horn Stephen Erdody - Cello, Celli Walt Fowler - Trumpet David Garibaldi - Percussion Susan Greenberg - Flute Karen Jones - Violin Alan Kaplan - Trombone Katie Kirkpatrick - Harp Armen Ksajikian - Celli Kathleen Lenski - Violin Margot MacLaine - Viola Liane Reynolds-Mautner - Violin Ralph Morrison - Violin Geri Rotella - Flute Jack Smalley - Conductor John Steinmetz - Bassoon Ralph Williams - Clarinet Margaret Wooten - Violin Lyle Workman - Guitar Ken Yerke - Violin Robert Zimmitti - Percussion Vaughan Williams - Clarinet Charles Berghoffer - Bass Sheryl Staples - Violin Mario de Leon - Violin Chris Bleth - Oboe Rose Corrigan - Bassoon Liane Mautner - Violin Ralph Williams - Clarinet __________________________________ Label: Ark 21 Records ‎– 7243 8 54571 2 8 Format: CD, Album Released: 1996 Recorded: December 1, 1995 - December 12, 1995

“One of drummer Tony Williams’ final studio projects, this adventurous effort alternates selections by an all-star quintet (which includes tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, guitarist Pat Metheny, pianist Herbie Hancock and bassist Stanley Clarke) with string orchestra tracks (usually using the rhythm section). Williams wrote most of the music (there is one song apiece from Metheny and Clarke), and despite the general unpredictability of the music (which ranges from melancholy to fiery), there is a surprising unity throughout the CD. Highlights include the pretty opener for strings “Wilderness Rising,” a lyrical quintet number, “The Night You Were Born,” the rockish freakout “China Moon” and the heated “Gambia”; only guitarist Lyle Workman’s guest spot on his droning “Machu Picchu” is a minus. Otherwise, this is intriguing music that rewards repeated listenings, making one further appreciate the great loss suffered as a result of Tony Williams’ premature death.” – Scott Yanow/AllMusic.

“A full orchestra joins Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny and Stanley Clarke in this collection of tone poems that compare and contrast several takes on the meaning of wilderness. The leader provides a glimpse of the moods being portrayed through his choice of titles, as well as by supplying in the liner notes several familiar quotations about mankind and the natural world. Drummer Williams, who led the fusion band Lifetime in decades past, opts to contrast the natural sounds of an orchestra with the electronic sounds from keyboard synthesizers, electric bass, and electric guitar. Three distinct thoughts on wilderness present themselves through the musical moods being portrayed. The full orchestra, with its natural sounds, supplies pastoral scenes of the outdoors. The fusion quintet, through its “China Town” trilogy, expresses the brash rhythmic attitude of city life. Several pieces are special in that they employ thoughtful and soulful improvisation, which of course comes from that other wilderness lying deep within the mind.

“The Night You Were Born” features Michael Brecker with a challenging tenor sax outing that shows off his technique and deep, ringing tone. Hancock on piano and Metheny on guitar blend to produce an image of some smoky dance hall late at night with only a few customers left standing around. Hancock stretches out in “Gambia” to share his unique mix of energetic and blues-based piano stylings; Metheny follows that with some of his delicate and fluid solo guitar work. Finally, “Cape Wilderness” sums it all up with fine solo work and group interplay from the quintet. Recommended.” – Jim Santella/AllAboutJazz.

Track listing:

1. Wilderness Rising (Williams)

2. China Town (Williams)

3. Infant Wilderness (Van Tongetern/Williams)

4. Harlem Mist ’55 (Clarke)

5. China Road (Williams)

6. The Night You Were Born (Methey)

7. Wilderness Voyager (Van Tongeren/Williams)

8. Machu Picchu (Workman)

9. China Moon (Williams)

10. Wilderness Island (Williams)

11. Sea Wilderness (Van Tongeren/Williams)

12. Gambia (Williams)

13. Cape Wilderness (Williams)

Personnel:

Tony Williams – Drums, Main Performer, Author, Orchestration

Michael Brecker – Sax (Tenor)

Herbie Hancock – Piano

Pat Metheny – Guitar

Rick Todd – French Horn

Chuck Berghofer – Bass

Charles Boito – Clarinet

Kenneth Burward-Hoy – Viola

Alexis Carreon – Viola

Stanley Clarke – Bass, Orchestration

Brian Dembow – Viola

Earl Dumler – Oboe

David Duke – French Horn

Stephen Erdody – Cello, Celli

Walt Fowler – Trumpet

David Garibaldi – Percussion

Susan Greenberg – Flute

Karen Jones – Violin

Alan Kaplan – Trombone

Katie Kirkpatrick – Harp

Armen Ksajikian – Celli

Kathleen Lenski – Violin

Margot MacLaine – Viola Liane

Reynolds-Mautner – Violin

Ralph Morrison – Violin

Geri Rotella – Flute

Jack Smalley – Conductor

John Steinmetz – Bassoon

Ralph Williams – Clarinet

Margaret Wooten – Violin

Lyle Workman – Guitar

Ken Yerke – Violin

Robert Zimmitti – Percussion

Vaughan Williams – Clarinet

Charles Berghoffer – Bass

Sheryl Staples – Violin

Mario de Leon – Violin

Chris Bleth – Oboe

Rose Corrigan – Bassoon

Liane Mautner – Violin

Ralph Williams – Clarinet

__________________________________

Label: Ark 21 Records ‎– 7243 8 54571 2 8

Format: CD, Album

Released: 1996

Recorded: December 1, 1995 – December 12, 1995



