cover art for albums that never found financing. groups, as well as Parker’s work with vocalists in BOXED SET Singers sang and dancers choreographed and varying configurations. The Big Moon Ensemble (a performed, all of which is covered in the wonderfully double quartet inspired by Ornette Coleman’s Free informative booklet containing Ed Hazell’s liner Jazz) included Carter, altoist Jemeel Moondoc, notes, Parker’s personal reflections, recording trumpeter Roy Campbell, a second bassist in Jay information and old photographs of the musicians Oliver and Charles and Rashid Bakr double and other ephemera. The music, more than seven drumming. They stir the stew relentlessly, ratcheting hours spread over six CDs, provides something of an and releasing tension, propelling the music forward alternate history of Parker’s career, too. Always a with mind-blowing power until the band settles busy sideman, playing live and appearing in (small down to let Parker have his solo say. The Centering label) album credits, the sheer scope of this work Big Band adds baritone saxist Charles Tyler along suggests Parker has always been a tornadic creative with Alex LoDico and Masahiko Kono on trombones, Centering (Unreleased Early Recordings 1976-1987) force on the Downtown scene. among others. This expanded group and these William Parker (NoBusiness) The box begins with almost an hour’s worth of extended written/improvised pieces presage the by Jeff Stockton serene duets from 1980 with alto saxist/trumpeter assembly of Parker’s Little Huey Creative Orchestra Daniel Carter, a die-hard of the scene to this day and in the ‘90s and the integration of voice ultimately Bassist William Parker’s Centering (Unreleased Early an exemplar of the fierce asceticism and street that found its fruition in the Double Sunrise Over Recordings 1976-1987) portrays an alternate universe aesthetic coursing through this circle of kindred Neptune orchestra from 2007. to the New York City Loft Scene as documented by spirits. Later in the set, Parker duets with tenor There’s more. It’s a remarkable, inspirational the Wildflowers boxed released on CD about a decade saxist Charles Gayle in 1987, typically fiery, archive, as if the listener were to discover a new cave ago. The musicians featured on that set - Sam Rivers, unbridled and very nearly unhinged. Finding where Cézanne painted his early work on the walls. Henry Threadgill, Julius Hemphill, Anthony Braxton, middle ground between the two reed players is a set Parker seemed to turn a corner financially when he et al - were relative stars in the free jazz firmament, by the Centering Dance Music Ensemble, featuring got the call from Cecil Taylor and his own however marginal the category. The players featured drummer Denis Charles (a veteran of Cecil Taylor’s opportunities expanded after awareness began to on these recordings, however, had been marginalized early years) and tenor saxist David S. Ware (who surround the David S. Ware Quartet. “Art is the even further, yet somehow managed to keep body took Parker with him to Columbia Records). The trio process of living” stands as the booklet’s epigram and soul together without means of support - visible could play as reflective as the music from Carter or and almost every piece overflows with spiritualism, or otherwise. From Parker’s inability to pay his as out as Gayle, but it’s the interaction that pulls you uncompromising commitment and a love of bandmates to his lack of carfare to the Bronx for his in, the rhythms prompted by their silent fourth language, often wordless. Parker demonstrates that father’s funeral to the photo of his duct-taped bass, partner, dancer (and Parker’s wife) Patricia staying true to your art is as serious as life itself. the specter of poverty hangs over Centering. Nicholson. Ware would go on to patent his signature In spite of this, Parker and his crew managed to style and tone, but here his playing draws explicitly For more information, visit nobusinessrecords.com. stay remarkably creative. Musicians worked on on hardbop and the dialogue between music and Parker is at Angel Orensanz Center Dec. 4th as part of mastering their instruments. They wrote poetry. dance is articulated in sound, meter and tempo. Under_Line Benefit Launch, I-Beam Dec. 14th and The They penned philosophical manifestos. They painted Deeper into the box the focus turns to larger Stone Dec. 15th. See Calendar. D E c 1–2 DEc 17 Mary Stalling S & Eric rEEd t r io d o U g wa M B l E t r io: h oliday Swing with Joshua Crumbly and Kevin Kanner with Morgan James, Roy Dunlap, and Jeff Hanley DEc 3 | Monday n i ghts with w B g o D E c 18–23 nyU J azz o r chE S t r a dUd U ka d a f onS E c a with St E f on h a rriS & hEl io a lvES: Jazz Samba c hristmas with Maucha Adnet, Anat Cohen, Romero Lubambo, D E c 4 –9 and Hans Glawischnig B U c ky Pizzar E l li / kEn P E P l owS k i D E c 2 4–25 Q U i ntE t: a merican classics with Derek Smith, Greg Cohen, and Chuck Redd c l o S E d f or c h riS t M a S D E c 1 0 D E c 26–31 ny yo U t h Sy MPh ony Jazz c l a S S i c w y nton Mar S ali S with Wycliffe Gordon the louis armstrong continuum: Music of the h ot five’s and Seven’s D E c 11–16 kEn ny g a rrE t t Q U i ntE t with Benito Gonzalez, Corcoran Holt, McClenty Hunter, and Rudy Bird l I VE j A z z NIg h T l y RESERVATIONS 212-258-9595 / 9795 jalc.org/dizzys 34 December 2012 | THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD.