William Parker continues to go beyond the status quo on Raining on the Moon, his second offering in labelmate Matthew Shipp's Blue Series. Known mostly to a coterie of specialists in a niche field of avant-garde bass players, Parker's discography represents his enormous value to the new avant-garde movement of the 21st century. His works of progression get better with each offering, and this time around Parker departs from his previous solo albums and collaborations to team with vocalist Leena Conquest. As lead singer on six songs, Conquest reflects the avant-garde black folk art that Parker emanates from a bassist's perspective. She applies her splendid vocal colorings to his spirituality and musical visions and freely melds with the ensemble's riveting stretches. Along with Rob Brown on alto and flute, Lewis Barnes playing a very cool trumpet on "Old Tears," and Hamid Drake on drums, Parker's basslines exchange and transform the compositions into textured applications of free jazz, loaded with unfamiliar improvisations and shifting between crisp and blunt and through blues, bop, and free. Raining on the Moon further reveals Parker's aurally taut and riveting art in beguiling chromatic abstractions whose radical simplicity articulated the fundamentals of avant-garde bass playing back in 1972, when he became the bass player of choice among such free jazz icons as Ed Blackwell, Don Cherry, Sunny Murray, and Milford Graves and later with the amazing pianist Cecil Taylor. With this recording, Parker continues to offer appealing new perspectives on the free style of jazz and exceeds the harmonic ingenuity of his Blue Series debut, Painter's Spring. - Paula Edelstein
Following on the heels of his spectacular 2001 recording O'Neal's Porch, bassist William Parker has assembled the same quartet for a more roots-oriented session featuring vocalist Leena Conquest. Raining on the Moon draws upon these musicians' keen ability to listen and respond, and it aims successfully for a more organic sound.
The sparkling intensity of the opener, "Hunk Pappa Blues," rests solidly on a foundation which combines Parker's bass groove with peppery support from drummer Hamid Drake. The tune takes a voyage into outer sound after the quartet states the theme, and horn players Rob Brown and Lewis Barnes use this opportunity to engage in a fiery and spirited exchange. Moments later, vocalist Leena Conquest soars out of the mix proclaiming "My name is Hope." This is where Parker begins to engage his long-term interest in poetry; his stated philosophy with respect to lyrics is that "the words help to tell the story inside the music." For those not familiar with Parker's poetry, these pieces pursue an elemental purity through mystical language and metaphor, often verging on the psychedelic. The twist on "Song of Hope" comes at its conclusion, where Conquest repeats the querying line "Would you let me live?" It's hard to say no.
Music this free does not often incorporate vocals, and when it does it must walk the difficult tightrope between clear, open expression and the deep well of unpredictability. Conquest's singing on Raining on the Moon serves the over-riding thrust of the group, but its true strength comes from the words she delivers. Never pretentious and often almost childlike in their uncluttered message, the lyrics do indeed bring a higher level of meaning to the music in which they are embedded. The instrumental portions of Raining on the Moon cover a range of territory but most often dwell in the realm of relaxed swing, warm blues, and pulsing, understated energy.
What marks Raining on the Moon as unique in Parker's long list of recordings is its raw accessibility. Listeners from various backgrounds will find this disc inviting and exciting. And if that serves the purpose of introducing Parker's vision to new ears, it's more than done its job. William Parker is one of those extremely rare musicians who seems to impart a warm glow to every musical group he joins. When jazz historians look back on improvised music at the turn of this century, William Parker will stand as a giant among men. - Aaj Staff
Tracks
1.Hunk Pappa Blues
2.Song Of Hope
3.Old Tears
4.Raining On The Moon
5.Music Song
6.The Watermelon Song
7.James Baldwin To The Rescue
8.Donso Ngoni
ROB BROWN alto saxophone, alto flute
WILLIAM PARKER bass
HAMID DRAKE drums
LOUIS BARNES trumpet
LEENA CONQUEST vocals
Music composed by William Parker
Recorded October 2, 2001 at Strobe Light Sound Studio, NYC
Thirsty Ear - THI 57119.2