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Gene WilliamsReviewed on this page:
I never heard of this guy until he sent me his CD in the mail, but he can play. Williams is a keyboardist who has played with a lot of big names: Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Ashford & Simpson; he's also worked with acid jazz artists Repercussions, and the material on his solo album sounds more like acid jazz than anything else. Williams has an elaborate web site at http://www.dorsai.org/~gwiz/ . (DBW)
 Welcome 2 My World (1996)This is a home recording, almost all played or programmed by Williams, but the sound is remarkably full and fresh. He follows the same pattern on almost every track: he sets up a synth-based funk groove, with one or two brief vocal samples, and then plays a piano solo ("Masae" and "Ised Jazz" are more straight jazz). The backing tracks are carefully done, and the tunes are effective ("Undiya), but the strongest feature of the disc is his piano playing: despite the hip hop and funk backing tracks, he's pure jazz as a soloist, with taste, sophistication and versatility. His drum programming is also refreshing: he doesn't fall into the normal drumming clichés, although I don't know whether that's on purpose, or just because he's not a drummer. He also sings a bit, which he does okay although he's nothing outstanding, and the lyrics aren't particularly interesting: the vocals detract from tunes like "Victim Of Society" (otherwise one of the best compositions here) and the title track. There's also a reprise at the end of the album, which is a gimmick I've never cared for, but if you do like that sort of thing, he handles it pretty well. I also get the feeling that Williams would sound even better interacting with a band than sitting alone in his basement, but I can't complain: if you want to hear jazz playing in a funk/hip hop context, this is a good buy. (DBW)
Welcome 2 Wilson & Alroy's World.
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