Lifetime: The Collection

Had to replace my Lifetime records from the mid-seventies. For those who don't know? this band was the American debut of late guitar genius Allan Holdsworth. This was 2nd incarnation of Tony's Lifetime band. First had John Mclaughlin on guitar and Larry Young on Organ, later Jack Bruce of Cream joined for an album. My favorite drummer of all-time, had the privilege of seeing many times. before his untimely passing.

The first six cuts of this collection are from the album "Believe It" a jazz fusion classic. Tony Williams was a jazz vet having played drums with the Miles Davis Band since he was 17. Tony Newton has played bass for John Lee Hooker, T Bone Walker, and on many many Motown hits. He has a "Hit" making funky way of playing and it moves the music along nicely. Alan Pasqua was a keyboard player with the Progressive rock group "Giant" and Allan Holdsworth the virtuoso guitar player also came from Progressive rock having played with "Soft Machine." Thus the fusion of jazz and progressive rock. A good mix if you ask me.The band is unique in that the jazz is drum and guitar based, as they are the two featured instruments on every song especially the ones from "Believe It." Holdsworth is just unreal and he and Tony are just two of the best soloist in the world of music. On the song "Mr. Spock" written by Holdsworth you can hear the future with the drums and guitar dominating the song. These two are so good they dwarf the other two musicians, even though they do add to the overall sound. It's just so hard to be heard with Tony and Alan playing. You listen and go "Wow" a lot.Cuts 7-13 are from the more commercial album "Million Dollar Legs" which has some record company endorsed "pop" but before its over; Allan and Tony take over. The sound is more funky with some horns added, but try as they might they just couldn't harness the power of this band. With only one bad song "You Did It To Me Baby," which is real bad, "Million Dollar Legs" stands up real well to "Believe It," with the cuts "What You Do To Me" and "Inspirations of Love" being the two best cuts on the CD. I suggest skipping cut 8, you will thank me for it. I'm doing it now: what a bad tune.If you dig great guitar and even greater drumming then you will like Tony Williams Lifetime featuring Alan Holdsworth. I think its the best work either of them have done and should be in any jazz or progressive rock lovers collection. 5 stars and at these prices: "Their Giving 'Em Away."

Tony was a masterful musician. He came from straight and post-bop jazz with Miles Davis, where he had already made a huge impact, and he entered the new fusion arena, full throttle. His first Lifetime band was ahead of its time, too hard for jazz fans and too abstract (maybe even too loud) for most rock fans. I don't know what he did in the early 70's, the hey-day for John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. But in the mid 70's he released two excellent fusion albums with his "later" Lifetime, and again, he pushed the genre further than it was before. The first one, "Believe It," came on the tail of successful defining work from the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever, and for the most part Tony's band steered things back to a looser, jamming type of sound, but with such fire and excitement, you knew it was fusion. Fred, Snake Oil, Red Alert, and Mr. Spock are hard charging pieces that feature utterly tremendous playing from both Tony and Alan Holdsworth.I, like a lot of people, didn't pay enough attention to this Lifetime cause I was so saturated with the other two bands, and with Weather Report. But in recent years I've thought about Tony, also after seeing him in concert with his mainstream band, and remembered what a talent he was, God rest his soul. On both albums, Tony, who was more of a bandleader than a composer, holds his own and shows he has learned something about writing the fusion ballad from the other leaders. The second album was also very good, though it has taken some unfair flak because it has one truly bad song, You Did It To Me Baby. Ignore that, hit the skip button, the rest of it is good and some of it is great, especially the opening Sweet Revenge and the closing suite, Inspirations of Love. Also, the liner notes on this Collection are worth reading. Long live Tony Williams!

Classic jazz-rock fusion featuring Allan Holdsworth on one of his earliest recording sessions. This group is not held in the same high regard as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever or Weather Report, but they ought to be. The 'Collection' packages the entire 2-LP output of this mid-70's incarnation of the band. The second album they did together, 'Million Dollar Legs' is generally regarded as an embarrassment, but I think it has its moments, too, though the first album is the stronger. Interestingly, Jack Nitzsche did the string arrangements for the second LP, and they're very nice.The remaster sounds amazingly good, to my ears. The drums, in particular, sound very visceral and real, like they're about to jump out of the speakers. The whole band really cooks on these recordings! Fans of John McLaughlin and Jeff Beck will enjoy this.

As you may know, this is a repackaging of two Tony Williams albums from the mid-70's, "Believe It" and "Million Dollar Legs". It would be worth it for "Believe It" alone. I love the tunes and it's a great band. In addition to Tony's always inspiring drum set pyrotechnics, you also get the elegance and finesse of Alan Pasqua at the keyboards and a young, fiery, and at the time, somewhat unknown Allan Holdsworth on guitar. Holdsworth had to be at least ten years ahead of his time. In any case, "Million Dollar Legs" isn't quite as strong even though it has the same personnel. There are some very silly, intentionally commercial moments like "You Did It To Me". Still it's my belief that it's worth it to have the entire collection.

The genius Mr Williams sadly missed he's left a huge body of amazing and ground breaking drumming a musicians and drummers drummer!!!!

An overlooked classicWhen younger I wasn't captivated by Mahavishnu Orchestra or Return to forever or fusion really but now I'm a lot older I'm rediscovering these classics anew and this particular disc (picked up for a pittance- new and sealed) is a must great band and Allan Holdsworth to boot this is superb in every way funky as hell.with a serious groove and some very cool guitar work

Fabulous drummer

Beim Konzert in Motreoux mit Carlos Santana & John Mc Laughlin 2011 wurde Tony Williams als bester Drummer erwähnt. Habe mir deshalb 2 CDś gekauft und bin voll enttäuscht.

Le plus faible de Williams sous ce nom de LifeTime.