Charles Williams & Tom Teasley

Word Beat: The Soul Dances (2006)

Word-Beat: The Soul Dances is a powerful collaboration between world percussionist Tom Teasley and vocalist/storyteller Charles Williams. Released in 2006, this album blends African proverbs, spirituals, and folk traditions with jazz improvisation and global rhythm to create a performance that feels both ancient and immediate. At its heart, the album is a celebration of the spoken word in motion — a lyrical and percussive invocation of cultural memory and resilience.

The nine tracks featured on The Soul Dances are steeped in storytelling and rhythmic sophistication. From the incantatory pulse of “Shango” to the deeply rooted spiritual weight of “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” the duo crafts a seamless dialogue between voice and drum. Williams’ rich, resonant vocals serve as both narrator and preacher, while Teasley provides a constantly shifting bed of textures using instruments like djembe, cajon, balafon, and frame drums. Each piece becomes a ritual, a dance of soul and sound.

Critics have described the album as “a densely layered poly-rhythmic percussion jam,” with “gospelized solo vocals and accompanying horns” woven into the mix. But beyond its technical brilliance, The Soul Dances is emotionally stirring — a journey that honors the African diasporic experience while reimagining its future through contemporary musical language. The synergy between Williams and Teasley is palpable, and their ability to co-create such dynamic material in real time is a testament to their shared artistic vision.

Word-Beat: The Soul Dances is more than a recording — it’s a performance ritual, a call to remembrance, and a sonic offering of connection and truth. Through this collaboration, Teasley and Williams present a deeply human message: rhythm and voice, when paired with intention, can move not just the body, but the spirit. This is music that listens as much as it speaks — and it speaks volumes.