William Parker's ideas are bigger than his mighty bass viol, bigger than a single evening's time. On this occasion, in fact, his "World Peace Trilogy" was 15 people and three nights big.
The three-part suite received its world premiere as a part the "Avant Jazz Against An Iraq War," April 4-6, and was presented by Art for Arts, the people both in and behind the annual Vision Festival.
The final night's set opened with a spirit, perhaps, of that global state having been found in parts I and II (not under review here). An orchestral swell with a swinging backline (comprised of composer/ bandleader/ bassist Parker and drummers Andrew Barker and Guillermo E. Brown), was followed by Matt Lavelle and Flip Barnes setting out a trumpet fanfare. As is Little Huey's way, the backline remained solid while the volume slowly built and sections developed within. (The orchestra is comprised of five smaller groupings, each of which can play somewhat independently within the composed context.)
The material they played (and played quite well) was grandly beautiful, at times Ellingtonian. Parker is never as fast to move through moods as the Duke, but he does create generous foundations for his soloists to stand atop. Baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson circled and soared in the extreme upper register. Trombonist Steve Swell blew fire and Rob Brown's alto sax screamed. Barker has kept a close watch over the sometimes unruly assemblage for several years now, but with the addition of a second drummer (Parker has played with Brown in David S. Ware's quartet in recent years), and now without a piano, the group was an open system of expanding energy, a joyous fury of horns and drums with the leader (who generally conducts from the front) staked firmly at the rear, matching lines with the bari and tuba. It wasn't the strongest material Parker has written for the band, but after a year's hiatus theyseemed hungry to play whatever was put on their music stands.
Although Parker joked (or half joked) that the band is available for school proms, the powerful orchestra is more than you might want to hear in a gymnasium. Which is why it's a pleasure to hear them in the controlled acoustics of The Center in Manhattan's Lower East Side. The Center is the most recent home of the annual Vision Festival, and is, in fact, a school gym. But with speakers in the back and front of the space (and no real measures taken to otherwise dampen or absorb reverberations), the group was loud and warmed the big, cold room. The gym, for its part, will likely stay warm until May 21, when the Vision Festival commences.
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