Browse by Artist: PARKER, WILLIAM

Artist:	PARKER, WILLIAM
Title:	Long Hidden: The Olmec Series
Label:	AUM FIDELITY
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	AUM 036CD

"Explores and expands on the ancient DNA/cultural codex that connects Africa to The Americas -- reflecting William Parker's long abiding interest in and study of the continental connection between the Manding people of West Africa and the Olmec of ancient Mexico (root culture of the Maya forward). A listening meditation exercise toward your enduring pertinence in the present world? A ten-track introductory manual on how to comport yourself in the reigning parallel? Yes to both questions. 2012 is on its way, after all. The album opens with an arrestingly spacious solo bass performance of the traditional hymn 'There Is A Balm In Gilead,' one of William's favorites. It continues episodically with music from three different sessions. The title track is a series of solo pieces on the 8-string doson ngoni (traditional hunter's guitar from West Africa). William was introduced to the instrument in 1975 by Don Cherry. And finally, launching off the grid, are four tracks by The Olmec Group. These four tracks are at the crux of Long Hidden -- mysterious and entrancing sound poetry embracing the Caribbean and Middle America via inspiration drawn from the Great Stone Head of the Olmec. Further to William on percussion and 6-string doson ngoni, the O.G. is composed of Dave Sewelson: the veteran saxophone player who has been active on the creative music scene for the last thirty years, Todd Nicholson: a formidable presence on the bass who when not leading his own bands can be heard with the violinist Billy Bang, and -- Omar Payano, Isaiah Parker, Gabriel Nunez and Luis Ramierez -- all under 23 years old, who play Merengue music."

Artist:	PARKER, WILLIAM
Title:	Double Sunrise Over Neptune
Label:	AUM FIDELITY
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	AUM 047CD

"The third and final installment of AUM Fidelity's collaborative releases with Arts For Art, Inc. presenting specially commissioned works which made their debut at Vision Festival XII in June 2007. And it is William Parker's this time me a tell you IAIAH. An orchestral work featuring immensely gifted individual and collective voices from around the world, meshing as one to manifest a pair of deep bass groove-driven mantras. Featuring both Hamid Drake and Gerald Cleaver on drums (each tremendous masters of rhythm and sound), a full string section, full keyed-in young Shayna Dulberger on bass, and renowned Indian classical vocal master Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay (flown in from India for this auspicious occasion) singing William Parker's lyrics on one piece, and then the mantra 'Surya Pranam' and a Persian tarana on the other. This is serious (other) world teleportation music that achieves psychedelic proportions of sonic interplay. The world premiere of Double Sunrise Over Neptune took place on June 19, 2007, the opening night of Vision Festival XII. As there were technical difficulties in the live mix that affected the recording, the musicians reconvened the following afternoon to perform and record the piece a second time. The entirety of that afternoon performance is presented here, followed by the second half (equally wicked and technical-difficulties-free) of the premiere performance."

Artist:	PARKER, WILLIAM
Title:	I Plan To Stay A Believer
Label:	AUM FIDELITY
Format:	2CD
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	AUM 062/63CD

The Inside Songs Of Curtis Mayfield. "Bassist/composer William Parker is among the most active and highly regarded musicians performing today. The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield is the first project in his 35-year career devoted to the music of another composer; here Parker interpolates the mighty Mayfield songbook with an equally mighty 8-piece band. Curtis Mayfield was a prophet, a preacher, a revolutionary, a humanist, and a griot. Words that all apply to William Parker himself. I Plan To Stay A Believer is the definitive document of this project, with fully exuberant performances of each piece drawn from concert recordings spanning the past decade. Included are two pieces from the group's very first 2001 performance in Paris with a chorus of 90 children, and another pair from New York in 2008 which feature a full gospel choir. As Parker writes in the liner notes, 'Every song written or improvised has an inside song which lives in the shadows, in-between the sounds and silences and behind the words, pulsating, waiting to be reborn as a new song.' I Plan To Stay A Believer brings Curtis Mayfield's positive messages of hope and fortitude in the face of potentially overwhelming odds back into the present moment where these energies remain in great need. The group features all long-standing compatriots of Parker's: the peerless rhythm section of Parker and drummer Hamid Drake, along with elder masters Dave Burrell on piano and poet/activist Amiri Baraka. The horn section features saxophonists Sabir Mateen & Darryl Foster, and trumpeter Lewis Barnes. Deeply soulful singer Leena Conquest is equally/exquisitely featured in/on Parker's Raining on the Moon group/Corn Meal Dance album."

Artist:	PARKER, WILLIAM
Title:	Crumbling In The Shadows Is Fraulein Miller's Stale Cake
Label:	CENTERING RECORDS
Format:	3CD BOX
Price:	$26.00
Catalog #:	CENT 1005/7CD

"A strictly limited/one-time only edition of 1000 copies (987 to be exact) specially designed box set containing 3 albums of William Parker solo bass compositions/performances in full tandem with a 48-page booklet of all-new William Parker writings (poems, dreams, meditations and more). Very powerful and profound music and words, through and through. The two principal discs contain new works studio-recorded in August 2010; the third disc reissues Parker's first solo bass album, Testimony, which was originally released in 1995 and has been long since out of print."

Artist:	PARKER, WILLIAM
Title:	Through Acceptance of the Mystery Peace
Label:	EREMITE
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.50
Catalog #:	MTE 012CD

Repressed. "William Parker's earliest recordings as a leader. First released in 1979 on his own Centering Records (Centering 1001), in an edition of 500 copies, Through Acceptance of the Mystery Peace has been a much sought-after collectors item for many years. Eremite is proud to return this vital & historically valuable music to common circulation. Five ensembles recorded between 1974 & 1979, ranging in size from trio to octet. Denis Charles, Charles Brackeen, Billy Bang, Jason Hwang, Jemeel Moondoc, Daniel Carter, Toshinori Kondo, Tristan Honsiger, Polly Bradfield, & numerous others from far corners of the NYC free music community. An altogether different view of the New York loft scene than that provided by the Wildflowers sessions. With one previously unissued performance."

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