Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » William Parker: At Somewhere There
William Parker: At Somewhere There
He is a human mood ring.
This live recording, from July 2008 in Toronto, comprises one long (48 minute) bass solo and two shortish pieces for dousn'gouni and double flute.
The bassist keeps a busy schedule as part of numerous bands including those of Matthew Shipp, David S. Ware, Peter Brötzmann, Eri Yamamoto, and as a member of Other Dimensions In Music. As a leader he organizes his O'Neal's Porch Quartet, Raining On The Moon Sextet, Little Huey Creative Orchestra, and Curtis Mayfield Project.
As a solo performer he has released several recordings, including Testimony (Zero In, 1996) and Lifting The Sanctions (No More, 1997). Here he sticks with all bowed technique for his bass piece, "Cathedral Wisdom Light," casting wave upon wave of energy outward. His constant motion fills the audio spectrum, with the effect of inducing a dreamlike response. As with his previous solo sessions, artist Jeff Schlanger was in attendance painting a portrait which (a portion of) acts as the cover of the CD. His expression of the energy and color of Parker's performance is perhaps the best chronicle of the performance, besides this audio document.
The final short pieces, although brief, further describe this great musician's world. On "For Don Cherry," he plays a resonating African guitar while wordlessly vocalizing in accompaniment and switches to a double flute on "For Ella Parker." Both pieces are touching and beautiful.
Track Listing
Cathedral Wisdom Light; For Don Cherry; For Ella Parker.
Personnel
William Parker
bassWilliam Parker: acoustic bass, dousn'gouni, double flute.
Album information
Title: At Somewhere There | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Barnyard Records
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.
