William Parker is one of the main reasons I began listening to free jazz.
His early recordings ( The Peach Orchard ‘98,
Mayor of Punkville
’99, and O’Neal’s Porch ’00, to name only three) were like nothing
I had ever heard. I couldn’t get enough. He might be the most consistently
brilliant composer/improvisor in the free jazz kosmos. He is blessedly
one of the most prolific.
Pulsar documents Parker with Hugo Costa on alto sax and Philipp
Ernsting on drums. The title cut opens with Parker’s double bass laying
down a bit of structure for Costa and Ernsting to get a grip on. The
tendency in any small group featuring a saxophone is for the music to be all
about the horn. For maybe the first three minutes you think that might
happen; but the bass quickly speaks up. Parker deploys his bow briefly,
about 2 minutes shy of the middle. Ernsting’s percussion begins by adding
delicate but exquisite accents to the main themes elaborated by Parker and
Costa. Both horn and bass produce lyrical, almost romantic novellas.
Somewhere near the middle, my inner ears formed an image of Costa’s sax as
an exquisite piece of sculpture traveling down a rolling conveyor belt.
Brief moments of dialogue between Ernsting’s drums and Parker’s
increasingly percussive bass display an amazing degree of control over the
balance of the sounds. This track is worth twice what the recording
costs.
I don’t know what Fogo em Escalada means. Google translate seems
to think it is Brazilian Portuguese for Climbing Fire. Okay. It opens
with a signature Parker melody, three and then four evocative notes
repeated. Here the image seems more that of a stately grandfather clock
than fire. The alto sax is more subdued and gives a precious levity to the
progression.
The last cut, “Words of Freedom” opens with a frenetic triangular exchange
between Ernsting, Costa, and Parker, now on a horn (I think!). Perhaps
someone with a better educated ear can confirm the instrument. Later in
the piece Parker switches to flute. If you are in the mood for a higher
energy engagement, this will be your favorite part of the album. Only
toward the end does the intensity subside.
I is a fine piece of Free Jazz. If you enjoy it, you might check out Costa
and Ernsting on their duo album The Art of Crashing (New Wave of
Jazz 2022). As you would expect, it gives the drummer’s virtuosity a
chance to take center stage. Highly recommended.
Totally Random Suggestion File: Mal Waldron Quintet – Seagulls of Kristiansund (Soul Note, 1987). Lush, romantic bop to cleanse your pallet.
