"William Parker's Universal Tonality is an epic archival recording which brings the titular concept to full, vibrant life. An exquisite example of this system in practice, it features a truly once-in-a-lifetime assembly of creative music luminaries and legends, including Billy Bang, Grachan Moncur III, Jerome Cooper, Dave Burrell, Jin Hi Kim, Joe Morris, Miya Masaoka, Daniel Carter, Rob Brown, Jason Kao Hwang, Gerald Cleaver. Clocking in at nearly two hours and featuring six extended pieces flowing across two discs, Universal Tonality documents a performance that took place at Roulette, NYC in December 2002. Parker invited 16 musicians of various ages, cultures and musical backgrounds to join him in an experiment of 'breathing together.' While he provided a score (wonderfully illustrated pages from same are included in the package), all were advised that there need not be adherence to it. Parker's hope with this approach is that each musician will trust their own instincts -- and those of the musicians around them -- enough to let the sound find its shape in real time. That constant current of inspiration, and open, receptive communication, was present at Roulette that night, and it's on full display on this magical recording. Whether embodying a roof-raising big band, or an intimate cross-cultural chamber ensemble, the collective heard here always displays an impressive coherence and sensitivity. When discussing or writing on his Universal Tonality concept as a whole (as on the enclosed, extensive liner notes), Parker can sound like he's outlining a life philosophy. It is both telling and fitting that author Cisco Bradley chose to title his 2021 biography of William Parker after this concept. The results of this one-night-only communion can now take their place among Parker's many landmark works spanning the past three decades, including previously released Universal Tonality-driven pieces like Double Sunrise Over Neptune, and Red Giraffe with Dreadlocks (released on the box set For Those Who Are, Still)." - Centering Records.
