Call To Battle

     Ellis Williams was introduced to music by his mother, who would allow a young 5 year old Ellis to sit in on her studio sessions. By 13 he began to take instruction on the trumpet and some years later would find himself releasing his first recorded offering, 2014's Euphoria.
     Williams' latest release, Call To Battle, is an eleven track offering that simply has no boundaries. Personally it gave me so many moments of nostalgic bliss.
     From the first track (This Is The Call) which is a powerful spiritual introduction. It's illumination of negativity and the strength of positivity brought me back to my youth when Rollins Band "End of Silence" boosted my low ego. This track is powerfully worded, executed with validation, and the ominous music in the background is like a fight song pushing you forward into the call. An all around great introduction.
     Braving The Darkness is a funk explosion of abstract Jazz jam musings that really helped pump some adrenaline through the veins. It felt like Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock all sat in on a mystery session and created a masterpiece.
     My Closest Friend is an out of left field R&B track that took some getting used to for me because it was such a sudden change in pace. As the album moves along its apparent that Williams' has no limitation on the type of music he can create and does.
     Where Do We Go From Here is another prime example of the change ups. I was caught up on this tune. It reminded me a bit of Living Colour. Not only is the sound a complete change up but Williams vocal tone and style is a complete change up that makes him a chameleon across the album.
     Sometimes you just have to give thanks that your the guy whose job it is to sample music you would have otherwise never heard of. Call To Battle is an excellent example of fusion between Jazz and many other facets of music. It's sincerely lyrical and passionately delivered. I have a feeling Ellis Williams wont be in the "Never heard of" category for long as this looks to be a break out offering I think any music lover will enjoy. I highly recommend.