EMERGENCY!
THE TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME
(1969)
A1: EMERGENCY (9:35); A2: BEYOND GAMES (8:20).
B1: WHERE (12:09); B2: VASHKAR (4:58).
C1: VIA THE SPECTRUM ROAD (7:50); C2: SPECTRUM (9:52).
D1: SANGRIA FOR THREE (13:08); D2: SOMETHING SPIRITUAL (5:38).
CATEGORY: ROCK JAZZ | DURATION: 71 MINUTES
An exploratory 8-track double album, among the first classics of the new electric jazz spectrum which was also being pioneered by Miles Davis (with whom percussionist Williams played that year on the album In A Silent Way). The distorted attack of Emergency! is led by guitarist John McLaughlin, soon introduced to Davis through Williams, and organist Larry Young. Davis’ producer Teo Macero also produced Emergency!, which approaches rock more than any of Davis’ albums, mainly due to McLaughlin’s free electric virtuosity. Williams contributes enigmatic spoken vocals to some tracks, psychedelic shadings soon swept away by the power of the revolutionary music, an unleashed hybrid of Hendrix and Trane which places Lifetime as the heavy jazz analogue to Blue Cheer.
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ROBERT YOUNG (1964-2014)
“ÆTERNUM VORTICE LACRIMARUM SOMNIAT”