Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » William Parker Quartet: Sound Unity
William Parker Quartet: Sound Unity
The jaunty "Hawaii (for the great Frank Lowe) finds Barnes and Brown playing the head and quickly moving to a playful call and response. Barnes takes the first solo, with Parker rock-steady and Drake imaginatively roaming rhythmic possibility. Barnes blisters the brass before Brown skates the edges with his muse. Barnes returns for continued conversation, then Parker continues his easygoing stroll. "Wood Flute Song (for Don Cherry) naturally seems Ornette-ish and Drake seems to ride the cymbal with a Billy Higgins grin. Brown unleashes a flood of instant music with Barnes adding occasional color, while Parker and Drake fly full throttle. Barnes follows Brown with his own iery flow, stepping aside for Drake's thresher.
Brown caresses the theme on "Poem for June Jordan with Barnes ornamenting, muted. The alto soars and sings the mid-tempo tune with Barnes patiently unveiling his variations. Parker's Jimmy Garrison-like bass line defines "Sound Unity and creates the foundation for over twenty minutes of virtuoso invention with Barnes tearing through the changes like a hummingbird. Brown chews and redefines the line.
Played at walking tempo, Parker's "Harlem paints impressions of his aunt's old neighborhood. The sly bluesy theme gives Barnes and Brown good ideas, while "Groove recovers Drake's reggae roots with Parker all righteous on bass.
This generous live recording catches one of the premier bands working today—inspired and inspiring, making the sacred accessible, weaving sound from The Real.
Track Listing
Hawaii; Wood Flute Song; Poem for June Jordan; Sound Unity; Harlem; Groove.
Personnel
William Parker
bassWilliam Parker: bass; Rob Brown: alto saxophone; Hamid Drake: drums; Lewis Barnes: trumpet.
Album information
Title: Sound Unity | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: AUM Fidelity
About William Parker
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
