William Parker | Artist

William Parker is an American free jazz double bassist, multi-instrumentalist, poet and composer, born 1952 in New York City. While Parker has been active since the early 1970s; he has had a higher public profile since the early 1990s. He is a prominent and influential musician in the New York City experimental jazz scene, having first come to public attention with pianist Cecil Taylor and as a member of saxophonist David S. Ware's quartet and in Peter Brötzmann's groups. Parker's recorded output ranges across an astounding array of solo and collaborative works, including his own Trio and Quartet ensembles. From his vast output of over 90 albums, some standouts include Bob's Pink Cadillac (2002), Scrapbook (2003), Voices Fall From the Sky (2018), Every Dog Has Its Day but It Doesn't Matter Because Fat Cat Is Getting Fatter (2020), and the monumental 10 volume edition entitled Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World (2021). Parker is also a member of the Okuden Quartet which comprises Parker, saxophonist Mat Walerian, pianist Matthew Shipp and drummer Hamid Drake. Parker is a member of the cooperative Other Dimensions in Music and, together with his wife, Patricia Nicholson Parker, he organizes the annual Vision Festival in New York City. Parker has also been the author of two books on music: Who Owns Music? (200&) and Conversations (2011).

Artist Website: williamparker.net

Featured Albums: William Parker

Related Artists: William Parker Trio, William Parker Quartet, Okuden, Peter Brotzmann

Video Clips: Sounds of Saving, Hymn, Land Song