City Newspaper Archives - 10/2007
William Parker/Raining on the Moon "Corn Meal Dance"
Aum Fidelity
Published by Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on Oct 10, 2007
A person could expound at length on the many facets of avant-garde jazz bassist William Parker's musical history, not to mention his profound sense of artistry and the deep spiritual and intellectual concerns that drive his work. Suffice it to say, however, that from the very start of this record --- a false start that thankfully didn't end up on the cutting room floor --- Parker and his group of returning sidemen intend to swing hard. Joining the fray for the first time, pianist Eri Yamamoto's piano lines immediately bring sparkling beauty to the band's adventurous energy. Drummer Hamid Drake's superlative finesse lights a fire that roars to a blaze when vocalist Leena Conquest enters the picture. "Corn Meal Dance" is a thrilling ride that hugs the precipices between flaming grooves, zero-gravity free jazz, and gospel-tinged social consciousness.
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