Tony Williams

“I've tried to be a leader, and I've tried to be a sideman. I've tried to be a lot of things. But I am a drummer.”

“Playing fast is something I can do, so I do it.”

“The drums are a melodic instrument.”

“My goal is to be an innovator, a musician who is trying to create a new way of playing.”

“I just do what I do and I hope it’s received well.”

“What I represent is a musician who is trying to bring the drums to the forefront as a solo instrument.”

“Technique is a means to an end. You have to have something to say.”

“For me, jazz is a music of the moment. It's not something you can plan.”

“I listen to everything. I'm always looking for new sounds.”

“I have my own way of playing and it is a mixture of all the drummers I have admired.”