Cisco Bradley
12 February 2021
Bassist, composer, and scene-maker William Parker has a colossal figure in creative music since the 1970s, particularly as a musician who has defined the sound of New York beyond the mainstream. His range is astonishing, but so is his focus. His recorded output is vast, particularly lately.
Shying away from dealing with it all is understandable. Parker’s recordings as a leader exceed 100 albums, with sideman work particularly with Cecil Taylor, Charles Gayle, David S. Ware, and Matthew Shipp easily tripling that figure. How can we begin to grasp it all, particularly when the music ranges from modern jazz to free improvisation, from string quartet to vocal art songs?