A Look at Tony Williams Gear (Part 1) with Paul Wells - EP 223
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- Опубліковано 13 лис 2023
- Paul Wells is back on the show to take us on a journey through the gear of Tony Williams in extreme detail. Tony Williams is one of the most iconic drummers of the 20th century, with a meteoric rise from his days with Miles Davis to his Lifetime project, and he became jazz royalty through his tireless pursuit of pushing our instrument to its limits. Tony Williams will always be one of the greatest drummers of all time, and his gear is almost as legendary as his playing. However, it wasn't always the big yellow monster Gretsch kit... We cover every single detail in this 4-part series, from his childhood Slingerland Radio Kings, through his yearly change of Gretsch kits in the 60s, the advent of the big yellow kits, and his transition to DW. We also cover his cymbals, sticks, heads, and hardware in a later part of the series-the cymbals deserve an entire episode!
Be sure to follow and subscribe to Paul's UA-cam channel and social to show your support for the immense amount of time he has put into this project!
Here is Paul's UA-cam channel: / @paulwells2227
and find him on social media at @paulwellsdrums
Thank you to GM Designs Cymbals for sponsoring this episode! gmdcymbals.com/
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Hey everyone, all the episodes are live in the Tony Williams Series. Here are links to get there quickly. Thanks for watching!
Part 1 - ua-cam.com/video/v2_qMi9R2hI/v-deo.html
Part 2- ua-cam.com/video/Pftmcfz9y4M/v-deo.html
Part 3- ua-cam.com/video/FwUZl0g_AvQ/v-deo.html
Part 4- ua-cam.com/video/DVUrA2pC4yk/v-deo.html
I got to see Tony doing a three-night stand at a supper club in 1987, two sets a night, arriving hours before the gig every night so I could get the table closest to TW's yellow Gretsch kit. I sat maybe six feet from his hi-hat, guessed the sizes were 24" bass, 12" and 13" rack toms with three floor toms in a triangle pattern (14x14, 16x16 & 16x18). That close to the drums I could see every move his limbs made for two hours three nights in a row. The first evening I took my TW scrapbook to the show and timidly knocked on the dressing room door after the first set. Mulgrew Miller opened the door and I could see Tony sitting on a couch smoking a cigar. "Come on in," he said, patting a couch cushion, "have a seat." I hadn't been so in awe of anyone since I met Buddy Rich; I'm surprised I could even talk, but sat down with my scrapbook. "What's that?" he asked and I handed it over to him. As he thumbed through it I told him he'd probably seen all that s**t before but had something I bet he'd never seen. I explained to Tony, "Years ago I worked at an airport and found an overseas magazine someone had abandoned at the customs gate. Even though John McLaughlin's picture is on the cover the story is about you." It contained a long article about The Tony Williams Lifetime after Jack Bruce had joined, crammed with photos that I'd never seen before of the band in action on their 1970 European tour. More importantly, Tony had obviously never seen them either. The magazine (Black Music & Jazz Review) was printed in England, oddball sized 9" x 12". It took years to find a copying machine with that paper size, but when I did I ran off several photocopies of the cover and article. I kept one of them folded in half in a side pocket of my scrapbook because my plastic page protectors (made in USA) couldn't accommodate the larger pages. Tony's eyes almost bugged out of his head while he read some of the article, basically a love letter to him for inventing jazz rock fusion (without Lifetime there'd be no Mahavishnu Orchestra, no Weather Report, no RTF, etc.). Finally Tony turned and asked me: "Can I keep this?" As calmly as I could I said, "I didn't bring it up here not to give it to you."
Do you still have that scrapbook?
ride toms were 13'', and 14'' I had the chance to sit and play Tony's yellow set around 1977-78!
@@Nagroddy Yes, still have the magazine too.
@@DAGDRUM53 very cool!
Holy cow I’d LOVE to see that! I saw Tony in Toronto in 1992 and got to the club early to get a great table in front and holy smokes he blew the roof off the place!
I played three of Tony's kits, the black front head, the lifetime Emergency kit and the 70's Yellow kit!
Wow! THE Mike Clark! You are a legend! That is so cool! Can you tell us more? Thank you for all the sick grooves.
I saw Mitch Mitchell at the Hendrix tribute show at the Beacon theater in Manhattan back I think in 2008. I got to meet Mitch afterwards and I asked him if he still had the Gretsch kit that Tony gave him and he said said ….”yes , and cymbals that Art Blakey gave me too”.
What a great resource. And I don't just mean this episode, I've now listened to all of them and I'm looking forward to the new episode like a little schoolboy. Please continue and thank you for this podcast!
51.33 the drum on his left is a pedal floor tom by Hollywood Meazzi
Very comprehensive expose on my most apex drummer among a select few of my favorite influential master drummers and a rare and insightful look into his legendary tools through Tony 's stellar career! Thank you Bart and Paul for a job well done for what you had to work with in available material!!! The photos alone are PRICELESS!!! As Miles Davis rightly said, "A drummer like Tony only comes in a millennium!"
The additional floor tom on his left is a Hollywood (Meazzi made in Italy) possibly the multisound with pedal to change the pitch like a timpani. Max Roach endorsed them.
As a fellow Tony, Gretsch, jazz, jazz drumming and general gear nerd I was so stoked to see this when I opened the app. Amazing job as always!
Thanks Bart and Paul for this interesting discussion of Tony Williams gear from beginnings to 1970's. It will be fascinating to hear more about his gear on future episodes. Thanks for your thorough gear analysis. 🥁
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great show! Speaking of Mel Lewis....he deserves an episode! One of great underrated drummers of all tine.
Absolutely!
saw tony friday night in 1965 with miles quintet at the plugged nickel....it was a small club...i was right in front if the band....miles, wayne, herbie, ron, tony....
fwiw, i watched tony ride on BOTH of his cymbals....but the ride to his right side was The One!
saw him again in 70s with same lineup except freddie hubbard instead of miles...yellow drums on 70s gig.
the plugged nickel is amongst my most cherished memories
Wonderful video. So interesting and inspirational. Paul is not only an A-list drummer but an A-list drum/drumming historian! Congrats to Bart and Paul!
Thank you for watching!
I'm really enjoying this! Thanks for sharing all this great info on Tony and his drums.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That second floor tom on Tony’s left looks like a Meazzi Hollywood, probably the model that could be tuned by foot. Max Roach used it for a long time, even after he left Meazzi for Ludwig. Cobham was also using Meazzi Hollywood drums for some time.
If it has not yet been mentioned re: the photo of Tony, Elvin and Art, the bag in Elvin's hand "ohio" is Japanese for "Good morning"
The floor tom at 52:10 looks like a hollywood drum. At least Hollywood tom legs. Great video! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Loving this info...
Tony also used a Rogers Dynasonic snare drum with that Black Nitron kit.
I dont Know your channel, i was just searching about a podcast on tony Williams. Perfect timing
Thank you sooooo much for this!!!! Amazing coverage!!! This is like "The Beatles - Get Back" footage of Tony Williams!!!!
Thank you! I love "Get Back" so that is a huge compliment
Ha ha ha!😂😂😂 I’ve listened to the “John Bonham’s Gear” episode with George Fludas and Terry Keating a couple of times a week since it aired. For some reason the vibe, information, knowledge, camaraderie and humour just puts me in a peaceful and musical mood. Love It!!!
When I study with him in 1973 he had a yellow set two different sized mounted Tom’s. China type symbol on the left. Bass drum was 18 inches.
Thank you ❤
I have a Gretsch 14x14 floor tom, that I bought in 1967 in Brooklyn at Silver & Harland (sp?) at the age of 13 (there with my dad), with the large lugs on the 14... I bought a set, 20x14, 13x9, 14x14, and a Ludwig 400 Supraphonic... I think it was $275. total... maybe a little more... champagne sparkle... I took the wrap off four or 5 years later, sanded the shells and polyurethaned the shells - natural clear... I still have the set, and still use it today, at regular gigs around town.. I love those drums, and they still sound GREAT!!!
Very cool!
Really great podcast gentlemen. I have a '64 Gretsch RB kit and the badge on the floor tom is not centered, but "north of center" as you state.
Thanks for watching!
Great research and information Paul!! A few years ago, there was a photo that floated around on the web of an early YAMAHA drum ad (maybe from late 60s) with Tony. There was a picture in the ad of him playing a Yamaha kit. It was mindblowing because we all only know him as Gretsch during that time. Do you know anything about this? I wish I could find this picture now.
You could order maple hoops on any color in that period. I worked for Gretsch in the 80s when Fred Jr. bought the company.
I own an early 50's Gretch 3 ply kit. The dates on the shells range from late1949 to 1953. The 22 inch bass drum is a 53 and the outer ply is dark luan The Snare, Rack Tom, and Floor Tom have maple as an outer ply. I discovered this when I was rewrapping the shells.
My Gretsch rosewood bop kit purchased directly from the factory in 1990 has large lugs with short tension rods on the 14X14 floor tom
interesting!
I attended a drum clinic with Tony that was held in a high school music room here in Cincinnati. I believe it was 1978. He had the yellow Gretsch kit. It was hosted by the long gone Drumshine Shop. They also brought in Carmine Appice around the same time.
Hello fellow Cincinnatian! That is awesome that Tony did a clinic here. I used to work at the Drum Center in Silverton with John Miracle which I believe had old stock from Drumshine. Thanks for sharing that info!
@@DrumHistoryPodcast Go Bengals!
I bought my first Ludwig kit at the drum shine shop. I bought it from a good friend of mine that I went to high school with who was also a fine drummer. His name was Lester Sharp.
Papa Joe Jones played with a left hand floor Tom … 😊 PS: Papa Joe was one of Buddys favorite drummers
I think the front facing mufflers is a practical thing. They're further away from Tony so he's less likely to hit that dead spot.
That’s a good point!
That's what I was thinking also, but with my 71 the tone controls didn't seem to get in the way. I just wish they still put them in the drums more.
How about the Miles’s recording, “ Four & More “and “Funny Valentine “ both from the same live concert at Symphony Hall NY. Was that the silver sparkle kit with 20” bass ?
Good question. That concert was February 12, 1964 - well into the Black Nitron kit era. Tony recorded Evolution on November 21, 1963 and Out To Lunch on February 24, 1964 - he's pictured at both sessions using the first Black Nitron kit, so I think it's safe to assume he was using that kit at the Symphony Hall concert that produced My Funny Valentine and Four & More.
I believe Elvin was the inspiration for Tony using the canary yellow. Elvin was sporting the yellow in 1969
That is probably very true
I know Elvin had the canary yellow kit in the documentary “A Different Drummer” but that was 1979. I haven’t seen pictures of him the late 60’s using such a kit…he may have though.
MOON HAD ONE FLOOR TOM ON THE LEFT FOR HIS TOWEL, STICKS ,WATER, COURVOISIER,ONE ON HIS RIGHT, THE SECOND-TO THROW OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE!
Tony live in NY in 82, yellow all the way. My number one drummer , I stole everything he played. Great legend . Miles/Tony
Interesting about two 12 inch ride toms. Shades of Moon with the three 14s.
That kit that you thought may have been white or maple with the black front head. I saw Tony play with Lifetime with 12, 14, & 18" yellow drums in London around 1970/1 with
a black bass drum head.
Yes!!!!❤❤
Papa Joe Jones did a second floor tom.
Glad you wrote that!
Paiste Giant Beats? For the win in Africa.
The 5 piece Grestch kit with the cartoonish drawings on it. In my memory was a natural kit w./ 24 bass drum and this was the kit Tony Williams played the night I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl in August '73. The concert was called "A evening with Ron Carter and Friends " and it was Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws and Herbie Hancock . That was the first time I saw Tony play live and I remember at the end of the concert going to the edge of the stage talking to Tony while he torn down his kit. Wasn't too successful at that because a security guard told me to leave and stop bugging Tony. Anyway..it was a great night and Tony played his ass off !!!✌️🥁❤️
That’s awesome, at least you got a few seconds with Tony! Thanks for watching
Great great video, really enjoyed it! Now a days if you were able to pick up your Yamaha drums at the factory like you said in this video lol you'd have to go to China, not Japan lol.
Can you do a gear history on the late drummer John Panozzo, the original "Styx" drummer??
I've always been curious about the heads he used on the '63 and '64 kits. The snare especially sounds like he's using an Emperor to me. Much thicker and darker sounding than an Ambassador. If anyone has any thoughts or info on likely batter and resonant heads, please share. Thanks
Hello Bart and Paul, are you aware of the history of Tony's drum mentor? Tony and I were friends from 67 to 97. Spent time with Tony and Scott Garrison in February 1997 at the Bluebird theater. Tony was performing a clinic for DW drums.
Dave Goodman and I began our communication approximately 2 years ago. Unfortunately, I became ill and have not moved forward. The topic is Tony's time with our mutual mentor Mr.Chuck Brown, the master Bay Ares drum teacher. Please contact me if you would like to speak.
Best Regards Malcolm
exactly!
I often wonder what the cutoff date was in snare positioning,from the tilted towards the back to tilted towards the front,guys of my generation went to straight from using match grip, but i still just can't do rim shots unless that snare has the old ,old school tilt
The walnut kit is featured in a video of Tony Williams playing with Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Stan Getz
That’s a different it - Tony’s walnut kit had round badges, and the kit in the Getz video has stop sign badges. It was actually Steve Gaddis kit…we cover that kit in Episode 4.
@@paulwells2227 I thought Gadd’s kit was black nitron, at least it looks like that to me… in any case, long live “that great Gretsch sound”!
As a Camco fan as well as Gretsch , I noticed that the arm/ handle/ lever on the Camco strainer is a Gretsch arm. Having repaired numerous Camco strainers over the years I know there is no way the Gretsch arm simply screws into the Camco. There was some drastic modification made to make that work. That’s something I would love to see how that was modified to work. Any idea or info on where that drum is or who owns it now?
Another great video!
Thank you! Man that is a good question and very interesting information. I have no idea but I will mention that to Paul and see if he knows
I've been watching a lot of Papa Joe on youtube, especially the "record" THE DRUMS[which is a hoot, really enjoyable], seems to me that he had that 2nd floor tom tom there,and he used it all the time[when he wasn't tapping the rims or scratching the snare with his fingernails!,probably late 50's
In case it’s relevant to Elvin’s bag in the pic in Nagoya with Tony and Blakey…
“Ohio” means “hello” in Japanese.
Jeeze that seems obvious now that you say it. Oops :) thanks for watching
Does anyone know what snare strainer is attached to Tony’s snare drum on the Montreux gig with Stanley Clarke and Jean Luc Ponty?
I’m pretty sure it’s a Camco strainer.
Looks like the Gretsch Micro Sensitive Snare Throw-Off to me
Tony theres only one thks great video
Thanks 👍
I was friends with Wallace Roney and miles did own a black Gretsch kit (Wallace also had Drum kits the birdland green kit) I had for a few hours Tonys Canary Yellow kit from the believe it Album (it had the Rodger’s cymbal holder on the Kit Drum (I should have taken Photos this was before cell phone cameras ugh!!!) Wallace had that kit given to him after Tony passed away … Tony had a few Canary yellow kits … I think Kojo Roney may have that kit…. Hope This fills in other info that I was able get first hand from Wally :-)
Tony’s music education started with Sam Rivers when Tony was very young……
Tony’s dad took him to study drums with Alan Dawson in Boston.
Joe Jones utilisait 2 floor toms , Check Caravan… aussi Check the Bass-drum that Tony was using in France in 1972 -the one with the Drawing on it , They have 10 lugs ,and it’s a 18 inchs drum …
never talked about his drum heads calf/plastic used over the years?
Heads will be in Part 3!
To any drummer, say "TONY" and they know who you are referring to. His taxicab yellow kit is iconic to me. The DW was too much of a clash of colors for me. I remember Tony best on yellow gretsch.
Absolutely, he is an icon! Thanks for watching
Yellow not maple, in the maple you can see grain, the yellow is a lacquer.
Great talk. My guess it´s a big chance that Charlie Watts bought those drums from the Gurnsey auction.
If that is true, I bet his tech Don McAulay might know something about this. Kind of a shot in the dark though.
Charlie bought Elvin’s yellow Gretsch kit which had a 18,12,13,16 drums and a Slingerland Set O Matic tom holder which a lot of drummers had installed back in the 70’s. Steve Maxwell had Elvins yellow kit some years ago when he had his NYC store. I saw Elvin play that kit at the Village Vanguard back in the 70’s.
He used HOLLYWOOD by Meazzi kit . Have photos
Bill Ward Drum Gear
I hear you man! I gotta find the right expert
That would be a serious jigsaw puzzle - somebody has to get to it before too late!
Phil Rudd also
On the Elvin/Tony photo the thing that I notice is that those hats like 14"s..not his usual 15"?
Tony didn't use 15s until the mid 70s.
The kit with the black head was white
Thank you, Mike! Anybody reading these comments - go listen to Mike Clark! He and Lenny White are two of the greatest “post Tony” drummers. If you want to hear how Tony influenced the path of the great drummers that grew up listening to him, check out Mike and Lenny. Both are killing!
He definitely plays a paiste 2002 crash on his left in Senegal
Yeah,the sound of those small bass drums was"iconic,,punchy" etc. ,i think they went to those because they looked so modern as opposed to the drum sets they saw in their youth with 28's,32 marching bass drums etc. that the old moldy figs played
I would think the muffler on the front would put them at the top of the head when mounted instead of the bottom which would allow rimshots on the toms things…no? Probably more about that than the look?
I see now this was already pointed out in the comments….rimshots would not sound good on mufflers
That OHIO bag means "Hi" in Japanese.
That makes sense! Thanks for watching
Is Yamaha even made in Hammamatsu anymore? No more Sakae shells, the shells and hardware are likely all made in China now.
The PHX line is still made in Hamamatsu.
Never really understood the fascination with Gretsch. Seems like a lot of hype. They didn’t really make drum sets did they? Just assembled them?
I do think Tony Williams is the greatest drummer that we know of. The only drummer who was more musical at times WITHOUT the rest of the band than with. 🎉
I appreciate you watching!
@@DrumHistoryPodcast your podcast is the greatest of all time !
If you know anything about drums, gretch has a very distinctive tone as compared to other brands
Tony didn’t sound nearly as good with DW drums. I watched and listened to a lot of Tony with his DW kit and the Gretsch drums sounded SO MUCH BETTER!
Africa photo paiste crash, 24 “ bd.
this guy rambles...boring.
Zzzzzzzzzz….
Thought I heard.. that Wallace Roney and Cindy Blackman have some of Tony’s old sets
Dennis Chambers said he has one of Tony's drum kits. As well as Papa Jo, elvin, max, and art's cymbals. Check out'the stick people' podcast with him.
I saw Mitch Mitchell at the Hendrix tribute show at the Beacon theater in Manhattan back I think in 2008. I got to meet Mitch afterwards and I asked him if he still had the Gretsch kit that Tony gave him and he said said ….”yes , and cymbals that Art Blakey gave me too”.
That is super cool and very interesting