Turn It Over is the second album by the American jazz fusion group the Tony Williams Lifetime, released in 1970 via Polydor Records.[2][3] It was rereleased by Verve Records in 1997, as part of Spectrum: The Anthology.[4] Williams is again joined by guitarist John McLaughlin and organist Larry Young, along with former Cream member Jack Bruce on bass guitar.
| Turn It Over | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1970 | |||
| Recorded | July 1970[1] | |||
| Studio | Olmstead Sound Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion, jazz-rock | |||
| Length | 34:50 38:36 (reissue) | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | Monte Kay, Jack Lewis, Tony Williams | |||
| The Tony Williams Lifetime chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editJack Bruce joined the group for Turn It Over, providing bass and vocals.[5] Tony Williams was excited by the amplification he could employ during the recording of the album; his liner notes repeatedly instruct the listener to play the album at a high volume.[3] Williams described the album as his version of the MC5's Kick Out the Jams.[6]
The album contains a rendition of John Coltrane's "Big Nick".[7]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD |  [11] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [12] |
The Omaha World-Herald wrote that the Lifetime "is likely the most forceful group on the pop music scene."[13] AllMusic called the album "one of the more intense pieces of early jazz-rock fusion around," writing that "in parts, it's like Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys with much better chops."[8] JazzTimes praised Larry Young's "fearsome long tones and wobbly distortions" and "psychedelic, dissonant harmonies."[14] Vibe deemed Turn It Over "one of the most violent, raucous recordings ever to issue from a noted jazz musician."[5] The Guardian called it "tougher" than the debut, singling out the performance of "Big Nick".[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "To Whom It May Concern - Them" | Chick Corea | 4:18 |
| 2. | "To Whom It May Concern - Us" | Corea | 2:58 |
| 3. | "This Night This Song" | Tony Williams | 3:45 |
| 4. | "Big Nick" | John Coltrane | 2:43 |
| 5. | "Right On" | Williams | 1:52 |
| 6. | "Once I Loved" | Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Ray Gilbert | 5:05 |
| 7. | "Vuelta Abajo" | Williams | 4:57 |
| 8. | "A Famous Blues" | John McLaughlin | 4:15 |
| 9. | "Allah Be Praised" | Larry Young | 4:39 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "One Word" (originally released as a UK single, 1970) | McLaughlin | 3:45 |
| Total length: | 38:36 | ||
Personnel
edit- Tony Williams - drums, vocals on "This Night This Song", "Once I Loved", "A Famous Blues"
- John McLaughlin - guitar, vocals on "A Famous Blues"
- Larry Young - organ
- Jack Bruce - bass, lead vocals on "One Word"
References
edit- ^ Mandel, Howard (2010). Miles, Ornette, Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz. Routledge. p. 73.
- ^ Meeder, Christopher (August 6, 2012). Jazz: the Basics. Routledge. ISBN 9781135887124 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Fellezs, Kevin (August 8, 2011). Birds of Fire: Jazz, Rock, Funk, and the Creation of Fusion. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0822350477 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Energy, Sheer Musical Force Drive Williams' 'Spectrum'". Los Angeles Times. February 28, 1997.
- ^ a b Tate, Greg (Sep 1997). "The Real Music". Vibe. Vol. 5, no. 7. p. 242.
- ^ Macnie, Jim (Mar 8, 1997). "Renowned jazz drummer Tony Williams, 51, dies". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 10. pp. 10, 76.
- ^ a b Fordham, John (28 Nov 1997). "This week's jazz cd releases". The Guardian. Friday. p. 4.
- ^ a b "Turn It Over - The Tony Williams Lifetime, Tony Williams | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: The Tony Williams Lifetime". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 693.
- ^ Cook, Richard (2000). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (5th ed.). Penguin Books. p. 912.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 772.
- ^ Smith, Will (17 Jul 1970). "Lifetime Album Is an Intense Time". Omaha World-Herald. p. 8.
- ^ West, Michael J. (6 April 2020). "JazzTimes 10: Key Post-Bitches Brew Fusion Albums". JazzTimes.