Reviewed: 2018-06-26
Genre: Jazz (X)
FCCs: none
Review: A treasure box abounding with gems, this is an expansive 3CD Box Set comprising three distinct and complementary albums whose focus is on the voice: the singers, 17 of whom are featured here -&- the songs, all composed (and produced) by William Parker. A multitude of approaches are employed: art song to operatic, pop to gospel, heart-stopping ballads to dance numbers, silence to exuberance. Half of this collection are brand new recordings made during winter 2017/18 and half are Parker-curated selections of previously recorded material which has been either long unavailable or is presented here in new form. Accompaniment to the singers on these 34 pieces ranges as widely as the voices, from self-on-piano (the two pieces performed by Raina S-G) to duet to ensembles large & small. The lyrical content expresses love of nature and its vital importance to a whole life, compassion, anti-oppression, anti-violence of any kind, praise of the creative spirit, and love.
If You Like: Meredith Monk, Theo Bleckmann, Susanna Wallumrod, Elena Dini,
Separate track reviews are found on each disc inside the box
Disc 1 Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
1/ Espirito (1:14) -trumpets start> male vocal sings> quick stop
*2/ Airlift (2:05) - piano starts> female sings midtempo lilting song> bass solo> fade
3/ Bouquet For Borah (12:26) – drums start> midtempo jam> female vocal sings slow song> piano solo> sax solo> midtempo song> slow fade
*4/ City Of Flowers (6:02) - > ethereal undulating intersect with band> uptempo vocal jam with sax> 5/ 5/ Despues de La Guerra (6:14) – guitar starts> slow song with male vocal> pretty guitar solo> slow song> intersecting male & female singers swing uptempo> quick fade
*6/ Small Lobby (3:26) – female vocal starts> slow song with piano> pause> song> slow fade
*7/ So, Important (6:20) – cascading piano starts> female vocal sings slow song> piano solo> spoken word & singing> slow fade
*8/ We Often Danced (14:28) – bass starts> overlapping female vocals with sax & piano accompaniment> spoken word with music morphs into uptempo swinging jam & song> uptempo jam slows & fades
*9/ Voices fall from The Sky (6:43) – female vocal starts> midtempo song> trumpet solo> song> scat singing/trumpet duet> midtempo song> fade
*10/ piano /vocal starts slow> slow song> fade
*11/ A Tree Called Poem (8:27) – bass/drums start> slow song with drawn out female vocal, almost a blues> slow fade

Disc 2 Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*12/ All I Want (2:20) – trumpet/male vocal starts> slow song> joined by female vocal> fade
13/ Baldwin’s Interlude (2:51) – bass starts> slow song with female vocal & bass accompaniment> fade
*14/ For Julius Eastman (3:05) – female vocal soars acapella> joined by piano> quick fade
15/ Aborigine Song (2:05) – piano with heavy chords starts with female vocal over the top>slow song> quick fade
16/ Life Song (4:16) – drum beat/piano starts> slow song with female vocal> slow fade
*17/ Band In The Sky (6:03) – piano starts sprightly & off-kilter> slow drawn out female vocals swing uptempo> scat/piano duet slows to midtempo> lightning fast vocal over piano> slows to dlow song & fades
*18/ Sweet Breeze (5:06) – piano starts> slow song with female vocal, almost a blues> fade
19/ Morning Moon (6:08) – female vocal starts> slow song with cascading vocals & piano accompaniment> increases in volume & frenzy of vocals> slows to fade
*20/ A Thought For Silence (3:42) - bowed bass starts with slow, wild, off-kilter solo> female vocal sings slow, drawn out song> fade
*21/ Poem For June Jordan (3:02) – piano starts> female vocal sings slow song> piano solo> slow song> quick fade
*22/ Autumn Song (2:01) – piano starts> midtempo song with female vocal> slows to stop
*23/ Falling Shadows (8:34) – bowed bass> slow song with soaring undulating female vocal with bowed bass accompaniment> slow fade
24/ Tour Of The Flying Poem (5:52) – piano starts slow> slow song with male vocal> fade
*25/ Prayer (3:54) – piano starts slow> soaring female vocalon slow song> fade

Disc 3 Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*26/ The Essence Of Ellington (7:11) - vocal & ensemble start with crescendo> jazzy strutting male vocal sings midtempo song with big horns> midtempo jam> long crescendo with voice & horns hits high notes & fades
27/ The Lights Of Lake George (4:11) – crescendo start> fast tempo jam with female vocal undulating scat singing over chamber jazz ensemble> fast tempo jam> uptempo scat singing> slow fade
*28/ For Fannie Lou Hamer (11:56) – piano starts with orchestra- sounding ensemble> female vocal on slow enveloping song> percussion/flute duet> female scat singing and percussive spoken word while ensemble jam builds in volume, intensity, & frenzy, then fades to slow tempo with undulating female vocal singing over the top> ensemble builds in intensity & volume with female spoken word over the top> ensemble jams with female singing & fades
29/ Deep Flower (8:23) – bass starts> midtempo duet with drums> male vocal slowly speaks poem over the top> midtempo ensemble jam> male vocal sings midtempo song> ensemble midtempo jam> male vocalizes slowly over the top in vocal bursts> fade
The Blinking Of An Ear
*(30) a/ Meditation on Freedom (4:52) – uptempo piano solo starts> undulating operatic female vocal sings> drum solo> slow undulating female vocal sings over piano
(31) b/ Without Love Everything Will Fail (3:12) – operatic female vocal starts singing slow song with piano trio backing> piano solo> slow song swings into high registers> cascading piano solo> slow song> slow fade
(32) c/ Dark Remembrance (7:01) –cascading piano solo starts> slow song with operatic female vocal> piano solo> slow song> fade
(33) d/ Heavenly Home Meditation On Peace (14:21) – drums start> midtempo jam and song with female vocal> piano solo> slow song with operatic vocal> piano solo> slow song> p1ano solo> slow song hits high registers> quick fade
*(34) Natasha’s Theme (2:04) – piano starts> midtempo song with female vocal with middle eastern vibe> quick stop