William Parker Archives

All posts tagged “William Parker”

Best Jazz Albums of 2017

Here is the finest jazz offerings of 2017, a year that gifted us with a kaleidoscope of sonic adventures, with each album being a testament to the genre’s ability to inspire, challenge and transcend musical boundaries. The albums featured in this Best Jazz Albums of 2017 list–which is in no order–represent styles, moods, and narratives that collectively embody the essence of jazz in its myriad forms.

So here are the 10 jazz albums that made 2017 an unforgettable chapter in the ever-evolving saga of this enchanting genre:

James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet For Mahalia With Love

For Mahalia, With Love – James Brandon Lewis, Red Lily Quintet

For Mahalia, With Love is a Mahalia Jackson tribute album by saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and his Red Lily Quintet with Kirk Knuffke on cornet, William Parker on bass, Chad Taylor on drums, and Chris Hoffman on cello. For Mahalia, With Love was recorded at Skyline Studios, New Jersey, and will be released on September 8, 2023, by TAO Forms.

Jazz June 2023

What should you expect from jazz this month? Welcome to our June 2023 selection of albums that have already been or will soon be released this month. These albums grabbed our full attention, and they are worth your time. They are listed in order of release date.

Jazz November 2022

What should you expect from jazz this month? Welcome to our November 2022 selection of albums that have already been released or will soon be released this month (“What to Wait For”). These albums got our full attention and are worth your time. They are listed in order of release date.

Jazz June 2022

What should you expect in jazz this month? This is our June 2022 selection of albums that have already been released or have yet to be released this month (“What to Wait For”). These albums got our full attention and are worth your time.

The albums are ordered by the release date.

Best Jazz Albums of 2022

The following selection is our definitive “Best Jazz Albums of 2022” list. As you are about to discover, 2022 was another great year for jazz!

First, all the jazz clubs and venues suddenly reopened, and it was possible to see and listen to the music we love and the artists we worship live again! It is hard to believe that less than one year ago, the music scene was non-existent. This is such a relief! Now that we deeply understand the fragility of this ecosystem, it feels important—and even better—to go out and enjoy what is definitely not a given.

Andrew Cyrille, William Parker, Enrico Rava – 2 Blues For Cecil

2 Blues for Cecil is an album by drummer Andrew Cyrille, double-bassist William Parker, and flugelhornist Enrico Rava, in homage to the one and only Cecil Taylor. The music was recorded by Ludovic Lanen at Studios Ferber in Paris, France, on February 1 and 2, 2021, and the album was released on January 21, 2022, by TUM Records.

Jazz January 2022

What should you expect in Jazz this month? This is our January 2022 Selection of albums that have already been released or have yet to be released this month (What to Wait For?). These albums got our full attention and should be worth your time.

The albums are ordered by the release date.

Discover the list of the selected albums [here], and of the entire list of releases for 2022 [here].

Jazz October 2021

What should you expect in Jazz this month? This is our October 2021 Selection of albums that have already been released or have yet to be released this month (What to Wait For?). These albums got our full attention and should be worth your time.

After a month packed with amazing releases, October already seems to be as promising, maybe even better!

The albums are listed by release date. A playlist with one track per selected album is available at the end of the post.

William Parker – Mayan Space Station

Mayan Space Station is William Parker’s first electric-guitar-trio album. It features Ava Mendoza on guitar and Gerald Cleaver on drums. All the tracks were composed by William Parker and recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jim Clouse, in February 2020, at Park West Studios, in Brooklyn.