Home » Articoli » Album Review » William Parker, Ellen Christi: Cereal Music

William Parker, Ellen Christi: Cereal Music

By Alberto Bazzurro
October 1, 2024
View read count

William Parker, Ellen Christi: Cereal Music

William Parker ci ha regalato nel corso degli anni (in particolare da quando la sua stella, ormai intorno ai cinquanta, ha iniziato a brillare di luce particolarmente marcata) opere importantissime, a suo solo nome o in collaborazione con altri. Ciò precisato per chiarire subito che questo suo nuovo lavoro non appartiene a tale schiera. Vi trova posto una narrazione spesso farraginosa che ripercorre la vita del bassista, con intromissioni—per lo più salvifiche—da parte di Ellen Christi, cofirmataria dell'opera, e altri più episodicamente.

Il risultato è un album alquanto indigesto, che ci sentiremmo di consigliare solo ai patiti—i cosiddetti "completisti"—del bassista newyorchese, importante unicamente—almeno a parere di chi scrive—come puro e semplice documento. Per tutto il resto aspettiamo fiduciosi il prossimo capitolo di una discografia da un po' di anni decisamente imponente.

Molto felice, per chiudere, la copertina, opera dello stesso Parker, nonché il sound design globale, dovuto invece alla cantante.

Track Listing

Ode to Kidd Jordan; Baseball; Birth; Death; Do Dreams Sleep; Ellen and Leaves Floating; Plea; Into My Heart; Touring; Sonny; Uninvited Guest; We Were Very Civilized; Batala; Windshield Wipers; Prayer.

Personnel

William Parker

bass

Ellen Christi

vocals

Steve Swell

trombone

Bea Labikova

saxophone, alto

Dave Sewelson

saxophone, baritone

Additional Instrumentation

William Parker: recitation,flute, shakuhachi; Ellen Christi: vocals (#1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15); Steve Swell: trombone (#4); Bea Labikova: alto saxophone (#5, 6) Dave Sewelson: vocals (#12); The Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra (#4, 8, 10, 14).

Album information

Title: Cereal Music | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: AUM Fidelity

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Wayne Shorter, Samara Joy, Barker/Ir...
< Previous

European Jazz Conference 2024
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.