william parker's earliest recordings as a leader. first released in 1979 on his own centering music (centering 1001), in an edition of 500 LPs, through acceptance of the mystery peace has been a much sought-after collectors item for many years. eremite is proud to return this vital & historic music to common circulation. five ensembles recorded between 1974 and 1979, ranging in size from trio to octet, musicians include billy bang, charles brackeen, daniel carter, denis charles, tristan honsinger, toshinori kondo, jemeel moondoc, and many others from far corners of the 1970s n.y.c. free music community. an altogether different view of the new york loft era than that provided by the wildflowers series, & the earliest view of parker's powerful influence upon the american free jazz scene. one previously unissued performance (title track), & the complete unedited version of "desert flower."
jazz magazine (france) top releases 1998
wire magazine top reissues 1998
An important early record by the bassist, originally on Centering, & now reissued with one new track. In many respects, it looks forward to the larger bands of the 90s, but here Parker develops his ideas with a series of smaller ensembles & with more emphasis than later on free blowing... The smaller groups favor strings & could almost be playing classical pieces. The bigger ensembles, though, are the surest indication of what was to come. --Richard Cook & Brian Morton, The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings
The feeling comes across that it is here that free jazz took the next giant step in its evolutionary process and grew wings. --Edwin Pouncey, The Wire
credits
released October 11, 2018
Parker: bass
Ramsey Ameen, Billy Bang, Jason Kao Hwang & Polly Bradfield: violins
Roger Baird & Denis Charles: drums
Charles Brackeen and John Hagan: tenor saxophones
Daniel Carter: alto and tenor saxophone, flute, trumpet
Will Connell, Jr: alto saxophone and flute
Tristan Honsinger: cello
Toshinori Kondo: alto horn
Peter Kuhn, Rozanne Levine & Henry Warner: clarinets
Jemeel Moondoc: alto saxophone
Arthur Williams: trumpet
February, 1974; August, 1977; 24 October 1976; 21 January, 1979, NYC
producer for Centering: William Parker
producer for eremite : Michael Ehlers
engineers: Peter Kuhn & John Mingione
supported by 14 fans who also own “Through Acceptance of the Mystery Peace”
There are so many reasons to love the work of William Parker and those he chooses to play with, and here it's not only his virtuosity on display, but his gracious heart and the bounty of talent accompanying him to fulfill this work of melody, soul, and poetry executed with precision and grace. Another masterstroke from the master. Why would it be any other way? ps0m
This 10-track sampler for a forthcoming William Parker boxed set opens the door to his fascinating world at the outer limits of free jazz. Bandcamp New & Notable May 18, 2020
supported by 14 fans who also own “Through Acceptance of the Mystery Peace”
After a precision liftoff in Tabasco and setting a course to travel the space ways from planet to planet, the album peels away through a wormhole just past Saturn in the eponymous track Mayan Space Station to journey through time and space in Canyons of Light. eric F