Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Bassist Ben Williams' 2011 solo debut, State of Art, is a thoughtful contemporary and post-bop-leaning album that finds the winner of the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition delving into several original tunes and successful pop covers. Williams is an adroit improviser with a fluid, muscular approach to the upright -- as well as the electric -- bass, and he showcases all of his skills here along with his ear for unexpected covers and lively originals. Tracks like the roiling, Latin-infused number "November," featuring guitarist Matthew Stevens, and the high-energy, frenetic "Mr. Dynamite" are ear-popping straight-ahead jazz moments, while the hip-hop jazz cut "The Lee Morgan Story," featuring MC/vocalist John Robinson, brings to mind such '90s innovators as Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest. A child of the hip-hop generation, Williams clearly has an affinity for the music he grew up with, and consequently, although he does deliver a ruminative and gorgeous contemporary jazz version of "Moonlight in Vermont" here, he also includes a handful of inspired soul covers, including a string-heavy take on Michael Jackson's "Little Susie" and a slow and funky modal jazz version of Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" featuring saxophonist Marcus Strickland, while he turns R&B singer Goapele's "Things Don't Exist" into a cinematic orchestral jazz ballad. Though not an R&B cover, Williams' version of trumpeter Woody Shaw's underappreciated "Moontrane" only helps to further expand an already supremely well-rounded debut.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Chris Dunn, Producer - Woody Shaw, ComposerLyricist - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
John Robinson, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Christian Scott, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Michael Jackson, ComposerLyricist - Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Stevie Wonder, ComposerLyricist - Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Goapele, ComposerLyricist - Chris Dunn, Producer - Jeffrey Bhasker, ComposerLyricist - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Karl Suessdorf, ComposerLyricist - John Blackburn, ComposerLyricist - Chris Dunn, Producer - Ben Williams, Producer, Bass Guitar, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Album review
Bassist Ben Williams' 2011 solo debut, State of Art, is a thoughtful contemporary and post-bop-leaning album that finds the winner of the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition delving into several original tunes and successful pop covers. Williams is an adroit improviser with a fluid, muscular approach to the upright -- as well as the electric -- bass, and he showcases all of his skills here along with his ear for unexpected covers and lively originals. Tracks like the roiling, Latin-infused number "November," featuring guitarist Matthew Stevens, and the high-energy, frenetic "Mr. Dynamite" are ear-popping straight-ahead jazz moments, while the hip-hop jazz cut "The Lee Morgan Story," featuring MC/vocalist John Robinson, brings to mind such '90s innovators as Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest. A child of the hip-hop generation, Williams clearly has an affinity for the music he grew up with, and consequently, although he does deliver a ruminative and gorgeous contemporary jazz version of "Moonlight in Vermont" here, he also includes a handful of inspired soul covers, including a string-heavy take on Michael Jackson's "Little Susie" and a slow and funky modal jazz version of Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" featuring saxophonist Marcus Strickland, while he turns R&B singer Goapele's "Things Don't Exist" into a cinematic orchestral jazz ballad. Though not an R&B cover, Williams' version of trumpeter Woody Shaw's underappreciated "Moontrane" only helps to further expand an already supremely well-rounded debut.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 01:01:43
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Ben Williams
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Concord Jazz
- Genre: Jazz
© 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc. ℗ 2011 Concord Music Group, Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.