William Parker
Double Sunrise Over Neptune
★★★★½
Like the Don Cherry record I talked about a couple days ago, this is an accumulation of cultures and sounds. When Don Cherry passed away, those ideas didn't die with him; he'd been able to influence so many around him and in more ways than one I believe the torch was passed onto William Parker. This is a large ensemble; 16 people I believe, but that doesn't make it sound that overdrawn. In fact it sounds quite tight.
While incorporating these different sounds and cultures, this performance is actually still really percussive. And to be clear: Parker doesn't even play bass here, he's on woodwinds. The vocalist here does her part gorgeously too, a mix of English and wordless vocalizations of Persian and Indian syllables. There's everything somehow working as one thing. There's Middle Eastern and Asian influences, with blues and jazz, with classical and fusion.
This is music for every moment and day. All the strings seem to be dancing throughout their instruments, the bass and drums are like stormy clouds; powerful but light and airy. This album isn't necessarily "challenging" either, not that it would really matter to me. It's rare to hear such music that can exist in a space of its own, like a living monument to all cultural sounds and experiences.
This is really close to perfection to me, after each listen it seems more so. Parker's view of sounds is something that really interests me, and for the most part I agree with. Sounds are a part of nature that humans don't have control over, only the opportunity to have contact with them and that in turn creates what we call music. And this album has been one of the best moments of contact in a long time.
Favorite Song: Lights of Lake George
While incorporating these different sounds and cultures, this performance is actually still really percussive. And to be clear: Parker doesn't even play bass here, he's on woodwinds. The vocalist here does her part gorgeously too, a mix of English and wordless vocalizations of Persian and Indian syllables. There's everything somehow working as one thing. There's Middle Eastern and Asian influences, with blues and jazz, with classical and fusion.
This is music for every moment and day. All the strings seem to be dancing throughout their instruments, the bass and drums are like stormy clouds; powerful but light and airy. This album isn't necessarily "challenging" either, not that it would really matter to me. It's rare to hear such music that can exist in a space of its own, like a living monument to all cultural sounds and experiences.
This is really close to perfection to me, after each listen it seems more so. Parker's view of sounds is something that really interests me, and for the most part I agree with. Sounds are a part of nature that humans don't have control over, only the opportunity to have contact with them and that in turn creates what we call music. And this album has been one of the best moments of contact in a long time.
Favorite Song: Lights of Lake George
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