Sunrise in the Tone World

Bassist and composer William Parker led this ensemble, about two dozen strong with special guests bobbing up here and there, through residencies at the Knitting Factory in the mid ’90s; the eight performances on this double CD, adding up to two hours of music, were all recorded in January and February 1995. The band includes three trumpets, three trombones, and between 10 and 12 saxophones, plus piano, vibes, cello, bass, tuba and drums, a powerful rhythm engine that gives the music a bottom-heavy strut that recalls both Charles Mingus and Sun Ra. The balance between the blaring horns and Gregg Bendian’s tinkling vibes gives the music a fascinating fragility (and the last track, “The Painter And The Poet,” is a duet between Bendian and saxophonist Marco Eneidi). Vocalist Lisa Sokolov turns up on three tracks, and violinist Jason Kao Hwang appears on the 40-minute(!) “Huey Sees Light Through A Leaf.” As with many large ensemble free jazz recordings, sprawl becomes an issue, but Parker’s orchestrations give the music real form, and everyone is clearly listening, not just blowing.