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William Parker: Universal Tonality

By Mark Corroto
November 3, 2022
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Let's Imagine the difficulty

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker must face filling out his responses to the U.S. census every 10 years. What is his origin? His race? And how many people occupy his residence—or maybe a better question: how many races are contained within this one person? Joking aside, the musician William Parker has become an everyman. His music, art and poetry embody the concept heard here as Universal Tonality. His music is beyond genre, beyond nationality and beyond cultures. He is quoted as describing this "universal tonality" as all the musicians "breathing together."

The nearly two hours of this release was recorded December 2002 at New York's Roulette. While Parker provided a score that evening, the 16 musicians were free to follow it or find their own paths. For example, the vocalist

Leena Conquest

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Leena Conquest was given various poems and texts written by Parker for the evening's performance with the permission to use as she saw fit. Some are spoken, some sung and without that knowledge, it would be easy to believe the vocals were all scored. Same with all the music heard. How is it that a 16-piece ensemble with two zithers (a Korean komungo and a Japanese koto) can be integrated with traditional jazz instruments such as trombones, saxophones, guitar and drums? Add to that, the Mexican double-reed chirimia, two balafons and two violins. The answer is William Parker's guidance. Correction: lack of guidance. The sound is akin to allowing children to meet in a playground and instantly create their own games. Everything simply falls into place. It doesn't hurt that the lineup includes jazz and improvisatory luminaries such as saxophonist

Rob Brown

saxophone, alto
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Brown, guitarist

Joe Morris

bass, acoustic
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Morris, pianist

Dave Burrell

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Burrell, percussionist

Jerome Cooper

drums
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerome Cooper, drummer

Gerald Cleaver

drums
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Cleaver, violinists Billy Bang and

Jason Kao Hwang

composer / conductor
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Kao Hwang, reeds and brass by

Daniel Carter

saxophone
b.1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Daniel Carter, and trombonists

Grachan Moncur III

trombone
1937 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Grachan Moncur III and

Steve Swell

trombone
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Swell. There is a deep blues feel to the music, a ubiquitous posture whether your musical roots are American jazz, African, Asian or Middle Eastern musics. Moreover—and this may sound trite—but William Parker's music is William Parker personified.

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Track Listing

Tails Of A Peacock; Cloud Texture (death has died today); Leaves Gathering (headed back to tree); Silver Sunshine; All Entrances (it is for you the sun rises); Open System One.

Personnel

William Parker

bass

Additional Instrumentation

Matt Lavelle: trumpet; Grachan Moncur III: trombone; Steve Swell: trombone; Rob Brown: alto sax; Cale Brandley: tenor sax; Daniel Carter: reeds, brass; Jin Hi Kim: komungo; Miya Masaoka: koto; Billy Bang: violin; Jason Kao Hwang: violin; Joe Morris: guitar; Dave Burrell: piano; Jerome Cooper: balafon, chirimia; Roger Blank: balafon; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Leena Conquest: voice.

Album information

Title: Universal Tonality | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Centering Records

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