Literary Nonfiction. Music. Book + CD. Interviews. Photographs by Jacques Bisceglia. During the last 12 years, William Parker interviewed 32 of his friends and colleagues, artists and musicians. "There is a special level of trust and understanding that artists reach when speaking with other artists. William Parker goes deep in these one-on-one conversations to reveal brilliance, truth, wit, humanity and a relaxed eloquence that is both illuminating and a fascinating read. Conversations sheds long overdue light on some of the most important musicians of our time and in so doing presents us with an essential piece of the creative music puzzle. This is oral history at its best"—John Zorn. CD includes CD excerpts from the interviews and William Parker bass solos, total time: 68:40. Edited by Ed Hazell.

Author City: New York, NY USA

William Parker is one of few jazz bassists who regularly plays arco. He also plays several other instruments from around the world, including the West African kora. While Parker has been active since the early 1970s; he has had a higher public profile since the early 1990s. He is a vital musician in the New York City experimental jazz scene, and has regularly appeared at music festivals around the world, including the Guelph Jazz Festival, in southern Ontario. Parker first came to public attention with pianist Cecil Taylor. He has long been a member of saxophonist David S. Ware's quartet and in Peter Brötzmann's groups. He is a member of the cooperative Other Dimensions In Music. Together with his wife, dancer Patricia Nicholson, he organizes the annual Vision Festival in New York City. Parker is the author of CONVERSATIONS (Rogue Art, 2011) and WHO OWNS MUSIC? (buddy's knife jazzedition, 2008).

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