In Order to Survive

• Artist: William Parker
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1993 04 11+1993 06 28
• Total Time: 72:02
• Type: Live
• Genre: Jazz

Review

Bassist William Parker's survival techniques demand liberty and solos for all. The members of this sextet feed off one another's energy, filling their collective plate with counterpoint, and expressing music in colors and feelings spontaneously derived from thematic motifs. Parker, a phenomenal theoretical and technical improviser, has pianist Cooper Moore, drummer Denis Charles, trumpeter Lewis Barnes, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, and alto saxophonist Rob Brown in tow. Three of these pieces were recorded live at Club Roulette in N.Y.C., the fourth at the Knitting Factory. Clocking in at nearly 40 minutes, "Testimony of No Future" develops from the piano-bass-drums trio's bop swing rhythms that set up a three-note pattern that the horns then state and extrapolate on with counterpoint. This leads into extended solo fare from everyone -- simple and direct, easy to follow, yet dense and saturated. The beautiful "Anast in Crisis, Mouth Full of Fresh Cut Flowers" has Moore's spiritual lines influencing Brown's alto greatly, with Moncur chiming in for a lucid, free association for seven minutes, again based on three notes. "Testimony of the Stir Pot" has thematic nuances that grow subtler over 20 minutes while horn lines flow parallel to Moore's lightning-quick runs. "The Square Sun," from the Knitting Factory session, features Barnes' rubato-style trumpet (which shows his unique blend of jazz past and present); Moore's haunting, dancing figures; percussionist Jackson Krall's wisp-of-smoke accents; and Parker's mouse-squeak bowed bass. Some tour de force music is found here, which makes one wonder if these performances wouldn't have yielded another CD or three from this band of extraordinary avant-gardists. Highly recommended for those who take their freedoms seriously. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Testimony of No Future	William Parker	William Parker	(38:47)
Anast in Crisis Mouth Full of Fresh Cut Flowers	William Parker	William Parker	(6:55)
Testimony of the Stir Pot	William Parker	William Parker	(20:07)
The Square Sun	William Parker	William Parker	(6:13)

Credits

Grachan Moncur III (Trombone), William Parker (Bass), William Parker (Composer), William Parker (Producer), William Parker (Main Performer), William Parker (Liner Notes), Denis Charles (Drums), Lewis Barnes (Trumpet), Giovanni Bonandrini (Executive Producer), Gennaro Carone (Engineer), James McLean (Engineer), James McLean (Mixing), Rob Brown (Sax (Alto)), Jackson Krall (Percussion), Ben Medley (Engineer), Jeff Schlanger (Artwork), Jeff Schlanger (Cover Design), Cooper-Moore (Piano)