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book review

WILLIAM PARKER :: Who Owns Music? notes from a spiritual journey by Ron Sagye La Rue William Parker: Who Owns Music? Publisher:Renate Da Rin Pages: 138, Photos,Illustrations Paperback William Parker is not just an astounding(bass violinist) musician. Whose performed with Cecil Taylor,Roscoe Mitchell,Charles Tyler, Jason Hwang,Hamid Drake among others. Parker is a poet,philosopher, and keen observer of society;all this and more is documented in Who Owns Music? A fascinating,illuminating book with excellent black and white photos. Parker poses many questions to society and offers some answers,his poems are thought provoking. They make you stop think,and ask questions. He speaks about many musicians the death of Albert Ayler,Jimmy Garrison(one of his teachers),Alan Silva, Peter Kowald etc. There is a very interesting section on Education on page 50. Who Owns Music? contains numerous illustrations,music examples,and on page 99, Parker talks about the mechanics of play- ing the bass. This tome is autobiographical he discusses his early life in New York,listening at 16 years old to the music his father played Duke Ellington,Count Basie, Ben Webster. Then MJQ,Coltrane Ornette etc. There's a spiritual connection to Parker's thinking and writing that reminds this writer of Alice Coltrane's in the 1970s. There is an Asian word "Rei-Do" which means "spirit movement",natural "Rei-Do" we have no rigidity,no ego, so we are healthy. Everyone surely can find something in "Who Own's Music? to add to his/her life. I wish that all intellectuals and world leaders could particularly read entry 37 on page 85-86. Thank you Renate Da Rin for publishing this book, and William Parker for writing it maybe it could save humanity. More info at www.buddysknife.de published 27.10.2010 © 2005 jazz news :: home page