Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Hamid Drake/Albert Beger/William Parker: Evolving Silence Vol. 1
Hamid Drake/Albert Beger/William Parker: Evolving Silence Vol. 1
"Naked Truth opens with a serene invocation from Beger on tenor, then transforms into an improvised burner as Beger overblows with rising intensity. After Parker and Drake play furiously, the tenor comes screaming back, concluding decisively before a tranquil coda. Two duets occupy the midsection. The first, for alto flute and bass, is the session's most visceral performance, with Beger drawing audible breaths and Parker's repeated plucked motif in support. The bass responds quickly to slight changes in tempo before answering Beger's percussive flute pops with a bouncing bow. The second, for tenor and drums, is in the style of Coltrane's "Countdown ; Drake's loose-limbed double-timing seems to inspire torrential sheets of sound from Beger as he runs up and down his horn.
For the final track, "Rain Is Coming, Parker switches to the doussn'gouni (West African hunter's harp) to evoke the eternal flow of the Nile and Drake handles his shaker as if he were running his fingers through wooden wind chimes. Atop Drake's hi-hat shimmer and stick taps as light as brushes, Beger blows a gorgeously meditative melody before finishing with a soft chant of "shanti, shanti. Peace out.
We already know what Parker and Drake are capable of, whether leading their own groups, playing as sidemen, or simply supporting each other. With any luck, Albert Beger's capabilities will become even more apparent and impressive on Volume Two.
Visit Albert Beger on the web.
FOLLOW Jeff Stockton
and get notified whenever Jeff has a new article published.
Jeff listens to as much recorded music as he can.
Track Listing
Naked Truth; Duo #1; Duo #2; Rain Is Coming.
Personnel
Hamid Drake
drumsHamid Drake: drums, percussion; Albert Beger: tenor saxophone, alto flute; William Parker: bass, doussn
Album information
Title: Evolving Silence Vol. 1 | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Earsay
About Hamid Drake
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Hamid Drake Concerts
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.
