Williams was a young prodigy when he joined Miles Devis's group in 1963, having been a student of the master teacher Alan Dawson and a veteran of saxophonist Jackie's group. William's work with Davis Group was so notable that performers still consider an accurate transcription of a Tony William accompaniment or solo to be a formidable accomplishment. The elements of four-way control were so complete in his playing that Williams was able to keep time with ride cymbal patterns, drum patterns, or through his seemingly limitless hand-to-foot coordination. These techniques predate and serves the impetus for the development of "linear" drumming concepts, a term depicting the use of a single line or sticking pattern that is distributed among the limbs to create interesting patterns.