Last night the William Parker Quartet played to a very full Tractor Tavern in Seattle's Ballard district. It was the kind of show you want to attend with friends: lively tunes with catchy hooks and energetic soloing by players bound to make you smile. Parker has many configurations he works in, so for clarification, this was the "O'Neal's Porch" group, with Rob Brown (alto), Flip Barnes (tpt) and Hamid Drake.
A quick rundown:
I was pretty disappointed that the majority of the material was over three years old, but I won't go into my quarterly riff about the importance of concrete working bands. The old music remains quite strong and I still think that if Parker is ever going to establish himself as a composer, he should follow up on the infectious melodies and harmonies of "Purple" and "Sun". The band was great; I've never witnessed Hamid Drake when he's anything less than mystifying on the kit. Brown and Barnes appeared 100 times more relaxed than when playing with this group with singer Leena Conquest (with whom the 4tet just wrapped an extensive European tour). The crowd was ultra-enthusiastic, never missing an opportunity to give it up for the drummer (they always give it up for the drummer) and there were many hypnotized by Parker's concealed weapon, Flip Barnes. Parker himself could have done without the Viagra he apparently took before each of his overdrawn solos, and I would have loved for Rob Brown to just come undone... he only appears reserved, and takes names with his eyes closed.
I'm ok with the old tunes, and they are great ones that provide for stellar improv, but a band like this that has it's shit so together needs to be working with more than a couple of pieces of fresh material. I'd still recommend them to anybody.
Posted by al on April 12, 2004 12:17 PMFunny; a friend of mine was at this show, and said it bored him. He loved the rhythm section, but had no use for the horn players, and wound up leaving partway through the second set. But I couldn't believe he was even there; he's usually found listening to vintage electroacoustic albums and poesie sonore stuff and whatnot. Most things "regular people" would consider "real music" are things he avoids like the plague. So it was probably more him than them.
Posted by: phil at April 12, 2004 1:27 PM"he's usually found listening to vintage electroacoustic albums and poesie sonore stuff and whatnot. Most things "regular people" would consider "real music" are things he avoids like the plague."
Makes you wonder why did he went in the first place.
" he's usually found listening to vintage electroacoustic albums and poesie sonore stuff and whatnot."
A William Parker/Henri Chopin collaboration. Now *that's* an idea (whose time has not come).
Posted by: Sergio Zamora at April 12, 2004 6:21 PMFunny, one of the main reasons I liked "O'Neal's Porch" so much was because Rob Brown cut loose so much on it. Otherwise he keeps that piercing tone way too confined.
Posted by: Captain Hate at April 24, 2004 3:08 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................