were mostly ignored by New York jazz critics, who found more to like about the hard bop revivalists who dominated major-label recording. Hence, the public visibility of musicians devoted to an "energy music" aesthetic was minimal. Despite its low profile, however, that strain of free jazz was kept alive by a fairly large group of Lower East Side musicians, many of whom gathered around the music's pre-eminent bassist,
.
was the scene's major catalyst for musical activity. With his wife, dancer
founded the Improvisers Collective, an organization that presented free jazz in combination with other types of spontaneous performance. Beginning in 1994 (and continuing in one form or another as of this writing), the collective produced a well-received series of concerts and festivals that featured some of the city's finest free improvisers -- saxophonists
, to name a few.
was the fulcrum of the collective; he played in nearly all of its various ad hoc groups, and led the Collective's enormous big band, which later recorded under
.
As a bassist,
Parker is possessed of a formidable technique, albeit an unconventional one. Unlike a great many jazz bassists,
Parker was not formally trained as a classical player, though he did study with three of the finest jazz players of the '60s,
Jimmy Garrison,
Richard Davis, and
Wilbur Ware. Consequently,
Parker's style is based on a tradition of self-expression and experimentation. His arco work is possibly the most fascinating aspect of his idiom;
Parker excels at the creation of dense, hyperactive streaks of color, gleaned from the inherent harmonic properties of the instrument. At bottom, he is a textural player. Lyricism plays a secondary role in his work, with or without the bow.
Parker's pizzicato style is overwhelmingly percussive, in intent and effect. Though he does, to an extent, serve as a harmonic anchor in his groups, his more important role is as a source of energy.
Parker drives a band like few other bassists; in combination with a powerful drummer, a
Parker-led rhythm section is an inexorable force.
Parker grew up in New York City. Very early in his career he formed an association with
Cecil Taylor;
Parker played Carnegie Hall with the pianist in the early '70s.
Parker released his first album as a leader in 1979.
Through the Acceptance of the Mystery Peace (on
Parker's own Centering Records) featured saxophonists
Charles Brackeen and
Jemeel Moondoc, and violinist
Billy Bang.
Parker became
Taylor's regular bassist in the '80s. He played on several of the pianist's European records, and on
Taylor's most recent domestic major-label release, 1989's
In Florescence, on A&M.
Parker left
Taylor in the early '90s and began working more often as a leader. He recorded a big-band record for his own label, then began releasing a series of CDs for other companies, significantly Black Saint. Beside his activities as a leader and community organizer,
Parker would continue to work as a sideman through the mid-'90s; he remained the bassist of choice for downtown free players like
David S. Ware,
Matthew Shipp, and
Rob Brown. 2000 was particularly busy for
Parker as he recorded three of his own dates (
Mayor of Punkville,
Painter's Spring, and
O'Neal's Porch) and appeared on numerous other recordings as sideman.
–
Chris Kelsey, Rovi