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Andrew Barker: Bakunawa
ByAndrew Barker
percussion
Jon Irabagon
saxophoneIn common fashion for Parker projects, the group has no leader. This rhizomatic structure allows the trio's many complicated dialogues to burst out unabated. Irabagon's sax headlines most of the record over Barker's complex multi-rhythmic drumming, reminiscent of his work for

Mostly Other People Do the Killing
band / ensemble / orchestraFor Parker, the record is an impressive show of his polyphonic potential. On "Morgan Avenue Second Line," he abruptly switches to the pocket tuba, croaking dark dripping licks for Barker's boisterous percussion to play with. On "For Goya" Parker plays the Catalan gralla, an obscure double-reed instrument rarely played outside of culturally specific music festivals. The gralla has a harsh billowing tone, an unmistakably medieval crooning apt for a track dedicated to such a macabre and garrulous painter. Parker relegates the rare sound primarily to the rhythm section, though he is at his most interesting in counterpoint with Irabagon's tenor.
Otherwise, Parker's bass is as sharp as ever, and it is his emotive sensitivity that strings the record's disparate tones together. Plaintive pizzicato mellows "Fly Anew" into a fascinating moody ballad, but he has no fear of challenging his colleagues in the thorny "Was One." Some especially dynamic plucking appears to open up Irabagon's tonal palette as the record marches to a finish. Notice how his bebop-esque fingering on the final track allows the sax both the guttural screeches of its opening section and his quick tongue near the end. He never directs his bandmates, but always precipitates an intense reaction through comparatively controlled playing. Parker is a master excavator, like a divining rod of potential soundscapes, attuned to both the emotional structure of a performance and which buttons to press in order to push his bandmates a step further. His robust rhythmic memory leads Irabagon and Barker down a seemingly endless maze of sonic environments old and new, resulting in a demanding experience for both player and listener. ">
Track Listing
Bakunawa; Morgan Avenue Second Line; Fly Anew; For Goya; Was One.
Personnel
Additional Instrumentation
William Parker: Bb pocket tuba, gralla; Jon Irabagon: sopranino saxophone.
Album information
Title: Bakunawa | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Out Of Your Head Records
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