William Parker was born and raised in the Bronx, and has resided in the Lower East Side since 1975. He has studied bass with Richard Davis, Art Davis, Milt Hinton, Wilber Ware, and Jimmy Garrison. Parker has been a key figure in the NY creative jazz scene. Renowned as a composer, improviser, and a bassist, Parker is also an educator and author. During Parker's prolific career, he has recorded over 150 albums, had countless celebrated stage appearances, and helped shaped the jazz scene for both his peers and the youth. Parker is the author of CONVERSATIONS (Rogue Art, 2011) and CONVERSATIONS II: DIALOGUES AND MONOLOGUES (Rogue Art, 2015), as well as WHO OWNS MUSIC? (buddy's knife jazzedition, 2008).