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preamble. Taken together, the three discs provide a drummer Hamid Drake together with Indian singer BOXED SET cross-section of some of Parker’s areas of work. More Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay, Senegalese singer Mola to the point, however, the set contains his symphonic Sylla (who also plays m’bira and donso n’goni) and debut and a thankful addition to his woefully small Dutch bass saxophonist Klaas Hekman. Across six body of work with singer Leena Conquest. tracks, they find and explore a number of overlapping Two song sets with Conquest occupy the first territories. At its best moments, the music comes disc. The half-hour suite For Fannie Lou Hamer, across as speaking deep truth, as if Bandyopadhyay dedicated to the Mississippi-born Civil Rights activist, the mystic and Sylla the griot were communicating was commissioned by The Kitchen and performed by through unknown tongues. Beautifully serene and the since-defunct Kitchen House Blend ensemble wildly free, it’s the best disc. (which—with reed players JD Parran and Sam A piece commissioned by the Polish National Furnace and trombonist Masahiko Kono—wasn’t Forum of Music for the NFM Symphony Orchestra For Those Who Are, Still such a stretch for Parker) in 2000. The second half, and performed at the 2013 Jazztopad Festival in William Parker (AUM Fidelity) Vermeer, is a nine-song cycle clocking in at 50 minutes Warsaw comprises the better part of the third disc and by Kurt Gottschalk and recorded at The Gallery Recording Studio in 2011 it’s here that Parker finds himself stretched behind his with Darryl Foster (saxophones), Eri Yamamoto means. The 10-section, 50-minute Ceremonies for Those AUM Fidelity has done yeoman’s work for close to (piano) and Parker. These are important recordings, Who Are Still lacks the subtlety of his own bands, even 20 years publishing the work of bassist William highlighting not just Parker’s political and spiritual with Parker, Charles Gayle (saxophone and piano) Parker. In recent years, the label has seemingly had to sensibilities but also his strength at working with and Mike Reed (drums) improvising through the turn to the boxed set just so that the pressing plants voice. Conquest is a wonderful singer and the best work. The score works in broad strokes, often could keep up. Bamboo Flute Songs, released in 2013, interpreter Parker has; in lesser hands, his humor and plodding along where a lighter hand would have had no real thematic tie except that all of the plain truths could come off as simple or trite. She better served the purpose. Fortunately for those at the performances were recorded live. Triple-disc For Those imparts to them the meaning they deserve. These are concert, a 25-minute improvisation by the trio Who Are, Still is another collection of recent activity, also serious recordings, lacking the silliness of It’s (included here) delivered what those familiar with no more cohesive than any of Parker’s work, put in a Raining on the Moon or funkiness of Parker’s Curtis Parker’s work were no doubt anticipating. box, would be. (Which is not to say the work is entirely Mayfield project. It’d be a mistake to say the disc is Parker is a busy musician full of ideas and it’s arbitrary; Parker has an inherent cohesion stronger lacking those qualities but listeners may reach for interesting to have some of his divergent efforts than most.) There may be an economic factor at play. those earlier records before moving on to Disc Two. packaged together rather than scattered across so Parker inspires a strong allegiance among the Cross-cultural construction has long been one of many individual releases. The discs here might not Downtown jazz intelligentsia. Maybe a large enough Parker’s (many) concerns and finding himself in Paris invite the same level of repeat listening but there’s margin of those buying anything he puts out will buy in 2012 Parker seized the opportunity to draw from a enough here to make it worthwhile all the while. everything. In any event, the odd mix of the newer set number of pools. Red Giraffe With Dreadlocks, the isn’t necessarily a detriment. second disc in the box, pulls a core group of double For more information, visit aumfidelity.com. Parker is at The set collects four large-scale works (if song reed player Bill Cole (essential to this recording), Downtown Music Gallery Jul. 10th, The Stone Jul. 13th sets are included as large works) and one improvised saxophonist Rob Brown, pianist Cooper-Moore and and Dizzy’s Club Jul. 26th-27th. See Calendar. JUL 1–3 JUL 19 renee rosnes quartet clarice assad/off the cliff sings onna inger milton nascimento JUL 4–11 Italy - June 30th dizzy’s closed for annual JUL 20–21 maintenance tim hagans quintet Switzerland - July 2 JUL 12 JUL 22–24 Lincoln Center MET Guild - July 25 ben webster: ertegun jazz hall 7:30pm: cyro baptista’s vira Central Park Ladies Pavilion, NYC - July 26 of fame celebration loucos jerry weldon quartet with 9:30pm: cyro baptista’s houston person banquet of the spirits JUL 13 JUL 25 “Donna Singer is a j.j. johnson: ertegun jazz hall of monday nights with wbgo: first-call vocalist...with fame celebration yotam silberstein quartet an effervescent spirit and vincent gardner sextet impeccable phrasing there JUL 26–27 is certainly no lack of talent.” JUL 14 william parker - Brent Black @ Critical Jazz wayne shorter: ertegun jazz hall of fame celebration JUL 28–30 JUL 15–17 charles mcpherson quintet the jon faddis quartet JUL 18 mason brothers quintet swing by tonight set times 7:30pm & 9:30pm jazz.org / dizzys Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall Broadway at 60th Street, 5th Floor, nyc Donna-Singer.com 36 JULY 2016 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD.

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