William Parker

Double CD documenting the magic meeting of one of the all-time great rhythm sections in jazz: percussionist Hamid Drake and bassist William Parker, with London’s brilliant Black Top (Orphy Robinson and Pat Thomas) and Elaine Mitchener. Across two sets the quintet are infectiously energetic and inspired, striding from synchronised heavy groove to star bright solos, whilst incorporating dub effects, guimbri and sumptuous blues piano playing.

Heart Trio features three lifelong-devoted fellow travelers on the path of healing through sound. World-renowned & revered bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improvisor, community leader William Parker has performed and recorded extensively with both master pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, inveterate performer Cooper-Moore & master drummer, improviser, composer Hamid Drake over the past 30+ years. And, the three of them have been core since 2012 in Parker’s reborn In Order To Survive quartet.

Joe Morris, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver - Altitude (2012) {Aum Fidelity}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 422 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 173 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 13 Mb
© 2012 Aum Fidelity | AUM073
Jazz / Free Jazz / Modern Improvisation

Joe Morris, William Parker, and Gerald Cleaver are among the most gifted instrumentalists & improvisers in the world today—natural and consistent innovators, always sharing, igniting new ideas, and seeking something beyond description. They have performed & recorded together in different configurations on numerous occasions over the last 15 years. Altitude documents their first communion together as a trio, and they gripped it by creating timeless music rife with invention fully in the moment.

William Parker Quartet - O'Neal's Porch (2003) {AUM Fidelity}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 519 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 173 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 23 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2003 AUM Fidelity | AUM022
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Free Jazz

On the heels of two very intriguing CDs (Painter's Spring and Mayor of Punkville), luminary bassist William Parker let loose another for 2000 on his own Centering Music label. O'Neal's Porch, a tribute of sorts to Parker's late uncle, features a quartet with Rob Brown on alto sax, Lewis Barnes blowing trumpet, and Hamid Drake, Parker's compatriot since 1998, banging drums. While Brown and Barnes are familiar playing with the bassist (both have performed in his large ensembles), Parker and Drake comprise the best rhythm section in jazz; together, they should go down in the history books as one of the most fruitful and interesting musical relationships this side of Ellington and Strayhorn, Diz and Bird, and Miles and Trane.

William Parker Organ Quartet - Uncle Joe's Spirit House (2010) {AUM Fidelity}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 394 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 153 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 9 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2010 Centering Records / AUM Fidelity | 1004
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Modern Creative

A special studio recording project fully produced by William Parker for his own Centering Records imprint and dedicated to his Aunt Carrie Lee & Uncle Joe (who is pictured on the album cover) – they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on August 6th, 2010. William really wanted to get this done in time for that auspicious date and he did. Seven of the songs on this CD were written in December 2009 especially for this recording session which took place on January 22, 2010; Ennio's Tag and Oasis were previously written and they fit in perfectly.

Frode Gjerstad with William Parker & Hamid Drake - On Reade Street (2008) {FMR}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 352 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 136 Mb
Full Artwork @ 400 dpi (png) -> 39 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 FMR Records | FMRCD256-0208
Jazz / Free Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

Hamid, William and I have made 3 records prior to this one.”Remember to forget” and “Ultima” were recorded during our first Scandinavian tour in October 1997. “The other side” was a studio recording from Chicago during our North-American tour in January 2000. And “On Reade Street” was recorded in New York, January 2006. Hamid and William are two very nice people who also play their music very well. I think my fascination for their art partly lies in the fact that they have played a lot together. They have a certain thing they bring to the table and it?s quite a challenge both to go with it and also to go against it because it?s a very strong thing and it?s very personal. They will sometimes invite me into territories that I normally stay away from – the jazz thing. To me, this is both frightening and exciting. I feel like walking on the edge with one foot in open air! Frode Gjerstad