Patrick Williams – An American Concerto (1979 vinyl, HI-RES 96-24)

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I remember seeing an interview with Patrick Williams in which he was asked which of his many musical works he has created over the years he is the most proud & fond of – after contemplating the question, he replied "An American Concerto", his magnificent 1979 work combining a jazz quartet featuring Phil Woods on alto sax, Dave Grusin on keyboards, Grady Tate on drums, Chuck Domanico on bass, and the stellar London Symphony Orchestra. Consisting of three extended movements, Williams began writing the work in 1976 when he was composer-in-residence at the University of Colorado (Denver), where it was first performed by music students there, along with members of the Denver Symphony. "American Concerto" was subsequently nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

On September 10, 1979, Williams conducted it in London with his hand-picked jazz quartet and The London Symphony. Amazingly, it was REHEARSED and RECORDED in just six hours. Composed, arranged, conducted by Mr. Williams, "An American Concerto" was released on Columbia Records in 1980 – it’s a brilliant example of his vision and depth as a composer utilizing large orchestra and jazz. Alto saxophonist Phil Woods is just INCREDIBLE in this setting – he’s the star performer on this session, and gives a butt-kicking, tour-de-force performance, particularly in the last movement, "With The Messengers Of Joy." Dave Grusin, on acoustic and electric piano, executes some of his best work I have ever heard – very refined in the second movement, "Until The End Of Time", very tight and fast in the final movement, where Woods EXPLODES on alto sax, with The Symphony Orchestra furiously backing them up at a break-neck pace. Legendary drummer Grady Tate and bassist Domanico give shining performances, as well, on "An American Concerto".

I have read that after these sessions ended that day, EVERYONE, including the entire London Symphony, awarded Woods a well deserved standing ovation for his astounding playing. Unfortunately, "American Concerto" has not, at this writing, been commercially released on cd yet, but hopefully will be. I have a mint condition vinyl copy I had professionally transferred to cd that sounds great – expensive, but worth every cent for this extraordinary recording, which
was also beautifully recorded and mixed by engineer John Richards at the Music Centre in London, England. James K. Stewart

Patrick Williams (born April 23, 1939, died July 25, 2018) was truly a composer for the 21st century. Over the past three decades, he has won acclaim in every realm of American music: jazz, popular, concert hall, film and television. Nominated for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for composing the groundbreaking orchestral work An American Concerto, he has won two GRAMMYs for his jazz arrangements, four Emmys for his television music, an Oscar nomination for film composition, and the prestigious Richard Kirk Award from BMI. Several of Williams’ recordings are considered contemporary big-band classics, including Threshold, which won a 1974 GRAMMY; Too Hip for the Room, a GRAMMY nominee in 1983; Tenth Avenue, a double GRAMMY nominee in 1987; and Sinatraland, a tribute to the singer which was GRAMMY-nominated in 1998. Williams has received 16 GRAMMY nominations for his compositions and arrangements. An American Concerto, composed in 1976, was one of the first – and still ranks as among the most successful – attempts to combine jazz elements with traditional symphonic writing. "His An American Concerto is, in my opinion, the best mixture of jazz and classical that anybody has ever done," says respected music critic Gene Lees. "Pat’s writing is breathtaking. He’s just one of the finest arrangers and composers who ever put pen to paper."

Daniel Cariaga wrote in the Los Angeles Times: "An American Concerto must be one of the most attractive, affecting and original of jazz-symphonic meldings. The style is unrestrained, the tunes ingratiating, the writing expert. What Williams owes to the fair influences of Debussy, Bartok, Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff seems no more and no less than other living composers may owe in those directions. What sets him a cut above others is the individual integration he has achieved out of those influences."

1. Out Of Darkness (First Movement)
2. Until The End Of Time (Second Movement)
3. With The Messengers Of Joy (Third Movement)

Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods
Bass – Chuck Domanico
Drums – Grady Tate
Keyboards – Dave Grusin

Orchestra – The London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted & Composed By – Patrick Williams
Recorded at The Music Centre, London, England in September, 1979

FLACS (vinyl 24/96) + SCANS IN TWO PARTS
http://www.mediafire.com/file/iw8q91zltj2hg2l/patwilms-amerconc96.part1.rar/file
http://www.mediafire.com/file/9my3xa5at7ffr03/patwilms-amerconc96.part2.rar/file

thanks !

Thank you.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks

Thank you very much. 🙂

Thank you VERY much, this sounds incredibly promising!

scoredaddy, It’s good to hear from you and thank you for your generosity;)

Thank you very much!

Thank you very much, scoredaddy! I had not heard of this work, and I am not very familiar with Patrick Williams, so I appreciate the opportunity to expand my musical horizons!

Wow- never heard of this one… many thanks for sharing!