Search - William Parker :: Long Hidden: The Olmec Series

Harsh and aggressive but also totally mesmerizing and beauti

Aquarius Records | San Francisco | 03/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There's something about William Parker that for some reason makes me end up not paying too much attention to what he's up to. Sure a lot of what he does is indeed mindblowing. But a lot isn't. And the problem is there is just so much William Parker, that I'd sort of just given up on caring too much. The pay off for keeping up was just not enough.



But hell if this new record doesn't have us kicking ourselves. I was struck immediately by the instantly recognizable artwork and weird bubbly letters, the work of John Fell Ryan, a member of the mysterious Excepter. Strange match up that's for sure. It had me assuming that this was William Parker WITH Excepter, which would indeed be something else! But the actual reality is even stranger, Parker and a twenty something merengue band, weird but it works. Wonderfully.



The first track is a blissful and tranquil meditation for solo bass, so spacy and lovely. Then a brief spin on the 8-string doson ngoni, which produces a lovely buzzing drone, and then Parker is joined by the Olmec Group, bass, sax, timbale, bongos, conga, percussion and accordion, and the sound is festive, joyous, jazzy but funky and mysterious. Horns wheeze and drone over bopping bass and clattery percussion, like some wild avant block party. These tracks are the heart of the record, a wild, breathless fluttering heart. Fiery and fun, lively and so alive. Those tracks are separated by solo Parker joints, one on which he makes the bass squeak and squeal like a feeding back guitar mixed with a glass harp, all shimmering harmonics and squealing string scrapes, another with Parker turning his 8-string doson ngoni into some gorgeously alien Appalachia.



The record winds down with another solo bass exploration, warm and muted and almost folky sounding. The final track, a bonus track which was recorded in 1993 and originally appeared on a super limited cassette is Parker solo on electric bass, sawing away, coaxing all kinds of buzzing and droning from his bass, harsh and aggressive but also totally mesmerizing and beautiful."

Don't miss this recording

afbg02 | San Francisco, CA United States | 04/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is made up of a mix of performances from different dates, William Parker playing solo and performing with the Olmec group. Because of this, one might expect less cohesiveness than is typical of other Parker recordings. Such an expectation, however, would miss the mark. The different recording sessions really do sit well together, sharing a peacefulness and tranquil beauty that is not often the hallmark of Parker's other, more urgent recordings. There are several stunning solo pieces on the bass and on the doson ngoni, an african stringed instrument in a higher register with a humming buzzing sound. As always, Parker's remarkable tone and rhythmic complexity just grab the listener and don't let go.



I think this is one of Parker's most accessible recordings of late. Distinctly absent are the 25 minute long roaring polyphonic big band barages of sound I have come to love from the Little Huey Creative Musical Orchestra and In Order to Survive. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful recording and, to those who may not be familiar with his music, a great way to be introduced to the music of Mr. Parker.



Avant-guard purist, have no fear. The music is not saccharine, nor has Mr. Parker toned down his sophistication for the masses. I think this is simply a more peaceful recording, and a welcome new way to hear Mr. Parker."