Bass Lines Breathing in Quiet Rooms
Buster Williams leads a trio with Kenny Barron and Billy Higgins through warm, unhurried lyricism.
WindSong opens with the bass front and center, and that's the first thing you hear: a full, round tone with a lot of air around it. Buster Williams plays with a singing sound, and the trio settles into an unhurried pace, more conversational than showy. The mood is warm and relaxed, the kind of record that works in the background and rewards attention when you lean in.
Kenny Barron's piano is the other voice in the room. He comes at the tunes with a clean, lyrical touch, leaving plenty of space for Williams to move around. Billy Higgins keeps the time light and springy, never pushing. The interplay is easy and attentive, three players listening closely to each other rather than trying to outdo anyone.
This is a solid, pleasant record from Williams, well suited to listeners who like small-group mainstream jazz with a melodic focus. It isn't a dramatic statement or a career-defining turn, so it's best approached as a warm, dependable entry in his catalog rather than a starting point.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Buster Williams
Something More 1989
On the Wings of an Eagle 2006
Hancock Island: The Music of Herbie Hancock 2008
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Acoustic Masters I 1994
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
