Universal Tonality: The Life and Music of William Parker

by Cisco Bradley

Since ascending onto the world stage in the 1990s as one of the premier bassists and composers of his generation, William Parker has perpetually toured around the world and released over forty albums as a leader. He is one of the most influential jazz artists alive today. In Universal Tonality historian and critic Cisco Bradley tells the story of Parker’s life and music. Drawing on interviews with Parker and his collaborators, Bradley traces Parker’s ancestral roots in West Africa via the Carolinas to his childhood in the South Bronx, and illustrates his rise from the 1970s jazz lofts and extended work with pianist Cecil Taylor to the present day. He outlines how Parker’s early influences—Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, and writers of the Black Arts Movement—grounded Parker’s aesthetic and musical practice in a commitment to community and the struggle for justice and freedom. Throughout, Bradley foregrounds Parker’s understanding of music, the role of the artist, and the relationship between art, politics, and social transformation. Intimate and capacious, Universal Tonality is the definitive work on Parker’s life and music.

Genres: Music, Biography

416 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2021

Reviews

[Noah Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I am currently reading two books by Cisco Bradley right now and "Universal Tonality " is by far the better of the two. The book is a biography of bassist and community leader William Parker who was a member of Celil Taylor's band and a prominent figure in New York's downtown free jazz scene. Bradley opens the book with a deep dive into Parker's genealogy, prominently telling the story of his ancestor's enslavement and migration to the South Bronx. Bradley spends ample time describing the many non-musical influences that were pivotal in Parker's creative development. Descriptions of these shows, movies, and books serve as a great prelude to Parker's multi-faceted career.
The book outlines Parker's life and legacy, stressing the importance of community within Parker's life by providing in-depth sections on his friends and collaborators. Interspersed poems and writings by Parker provide great insight into his personality and philosophy which was critical in his success as an artist. Bradly provides extensive details on Parker's discography and prominent live performances throughout his 50-year career.

"Universal Tonality " not only provides a full picture of Parker's life but the ideas and values that defined his artistry.

[Jennie Romer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Universal Tonality is a groundbreaking portrait of free jazz bassist and composer William Parker. Not only is it the first book to cover his work, but does so in stunning fashion. Tracing his ancestry from West Africa to the Carolinas to Harlem, the book then charts Parker's life from his birth in the Bronx in 1952 through his coming-of-age during the Black Arts Movement era. The book provides rare perspective into the early years of Parker developing his artistic and aesthetic sensibilities with influence from John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, and Albert Ayler, as well as outside of music such as poet and writer Amiri Baraka, avant-garde filmmaker Stan Brakhage, and numerous other artists from the 1960s. Then in part 2 of the book, it turns to examine Parker's involvement in the jazz lofts of 1970s Manhattan, early collaborative work with dancer Patricia Nicholson, and finally some key moments as part of Cecil Taylor's band through the 1980s. The last half of the book examines, in turn, each of Parker's bands as a leader through the lens of his musical concepts, philosophies, and political activism. The book concludes with Parker's most recent, visionary work. This is a monumental work that gives the full picture of an artist who has been at the center of the New York music scene for 50 years.

[fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Parker is, without a doubt, the most vitally important composer of creative music alive today

[Murales Libros · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very good beginning, but to the end it looses its charm and morphs to account endless gigs and collaborations.