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THRESHOLD REVIEW- REVIEWED BY GENE LEES
To gain an insight into what’s happening, it would be well to listen to a new album on Capitol called “Pat Williams: Threshold”. One is tempted to call it a jazz album, because it swings. But so elegantly are the elements of jazz and “legit” music interfused that the definition collapses on any serious reflection. Nor is it only Pat’s writing that makes it: He has assembled a twenty-seven man orchestra of musicians of comparable ambidextrous persuasion. They can function in either world, and in this album they are required to function in both, alternately or simultaneously. This, in my opinion, is one of the most important albums of the last ten years… But it is the new musical direction that Williams suggests to us that makes the album so overwhelmingly important.

…A section called On The Sixth Day is one of the most dazzling fanfares for brass you’ve ever heard; it promptly dissolves into a powerful jazz swing. In another section called The Witch, he uses a string quarter over a rhythm section. And he makes that string section- the violinists are Jerry Vinci and Jake Krachmalnick, the former concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra-swing.

Williams is working to set up an orchestra that is built for such younger men: players at university level or just beyond it, who are so far beyond the capabilities of the generations preceding them..This is the best instrumental album of the year. And it is very important.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association presented the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra in an exciting Mother’s Day Event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This Sounds About Town matinees performance features eight stunning musical compositions written and arranged by several of America’s most revered composers…Dr. Williams’ original piece, “Bird From Missouri,” was a four-minute musical experience that involved the fusion of jazz and country fiddling. The “hoe-down” ambience coupled with the exciting jazz elements was remarkable…
Dr. Patrick Williams beautifully conducted “Mood Indigo” and “Suite From Porgy and Bess.” His stellar command of two rarely heard arrangements by Morton Gould and Robert Farnon, respectively, showed why Dr. Williams is one of the most beloved leaders in the music education field today. “Mood Indigo”, adapted here for a large orchestra showed the awesome compositional integrity of Ellington especially since this composition was originally composed for a seven-member ensemble. The jazz/folk opera “Porgy and Bess” continues to reveal Gershwin’s incredible skills as songwriter but this particular version offered more use of jazz inflections than the symphonic versions. Again, Dr. Williams’ charm and distinction as a conductor shone brilliantly and was honored by a standing ovation.

Throughout most of the 1960s, Patrick Williams was one of the many composers/arrangers kicking around the NYC studio music scene. In the late 60’s he arranged/composed several Muzak-molder LP’s that only occasionally hinted at the ebullience and brilliance unleashed on his 1974 Grammy Award winning album THRESHOLD. Perhaps due to his nationally successful composing/arranging credits for both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show, he was able to compose/ arrange and finance Threshold, his pet project, that featured big band jazz/rock/classical compositions and stellar soloists that swung like mad.

The album’s instrumentation augmented the typical big band setting(saxes, trumpets, trombones plus rhythm section) of the day with inclusion of (French) horns and a full string section including the harp. Essentially two main soloists were featured- Tom Scott (woodwinds) and Marvin Stamm (trumpet)…Williams composed and arranged all of the music, didn’t do any pop covers, wasn’t suffering from “road weariness” and he hand-picked exceptional soloists and players specifically for this project. What resulted was some of the fresh, propulsive, exciting, spirited and original music of that or any following eras in big band music history.

Threshold is an experience all its own. For those who do not have it, there is a hole in your bucket.

THRESHOLD REVIEW- REVIEWED BY GENE LEES To gain an insight into what's happening, it would be well to listen to a new album on Capitol called "Pat Williams: Threshold". One is tempted to call it a jazz album, because it swings. But so elegantly are the elements of jazz and "legit" music interfused that the definition collapses on any serious reflection. Nor is it only Pat's writing that makes it: He has assembled a twenty-seven man orchestra of musicians of comparable ambidextrous persuasion. They can function in either world, and in this album they are required to function in both, alternately or simultaneously. This, in my opinion, is one of the most important albums of the last ten years... But it is the new musical direction that Williams suggests to us that makes the album so overwhelmingly important. ...A section called On The Sixth Day is one of the most dazzling fanfares for brass you've ever heard; it promptly dissolves into a powerful jazz swing. In another section called The Witch, he uses a string quarter over a rhythm section. And he makes that string section- the violinists are Jerry Vinci and Jake Krachmalnick, the former concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra-swing. Williams is working to set up an orchestra that is built for such younger men: players at university level or just beyond it, who are so far beyond the capabilities of the generations preceding them..This is the best instrumental album of the year. And it is very important.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association presented the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra in an exciting Mother's Day Event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This Sounds About Town matinees performance features eight stunning musical compositions written and arranged by several of America's most revered composers...Dr. Williams' original piece, "Bird From Missouri," was a four-minute musical experience that involved the fusion of jazz and country fiddling. The "hoe-down" ambience coupled with the exciting jazz elements was remarkable... Dr. Patrick Williams beautifully conducted "Mood Indigo" and "Suite From Porgy and Bess." His stellar command of two rarely heard arrangements by Morton Gould and Robert Farnon, respectively, showed why Dr. Williams is one of the most beloved leaders in the music education field today. "Mood Indigo", adapted here for a large orchestra showed the awesome compositional integrity of Ellington especially since this composition was originally composed for a seven-member ensemble. The jazz/folk opera "Porgy and Bess" continues to reveal Gershwin's incredible skills as songwriter but this particular version offered more use of jazz inflections than the symphonic versions. Again, Dr. Williams' charm and distinction as a conductor shone brilliantly and was honored by a standing ovation.

Throughout most of the 1960s, Patrick Williams was one of the many composers/arrangers kicking around the NYC studio music scene. In the late 60's he arranged/composed several Muzak-molder LP's that only occasionally hinted at the ebullience and brilliance unleashed on his 1974 Grammy Award winning album THRESHOLD. Perhaps due to his nationally successful composing/arranging credits for both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show, he was able to compose/ arrange and finance Threshold, his pet project, that featured big band jazz/rock/classical compositions and stellar soloists that swung like mad. The album's instrumentation augmented the typical big band setting(saxes, trumpets, trombones plus rhythm section) of the day with inclusion of (French) horns and a full string section including the harp. Essentially two main soloists were featured- Tom Scott (woodwinds) and Marvin Stamm (trumpet)...Williams composed and arranged all of the music, didn't do any pop covers, wasn't suffering from "road weariness" and he hand-picked exceptional soloists and players specifically for this project. What resulted was some of the fresh, propulsive, exciting, spirited and original music of that or any following eras in big band music history. Threshold is an experience all its own. For those who do not have it, there is a hole in your bucket.