(Free Jazz) Jemeel Moondoc & William Parker - New World Pygmies - 1999, FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded 27 July, 1998, at the Fire in the Valley Festival, Bezanson Recital Hall, Umass, Amherst.

Bring together one of the under-recorded, unsung masters of alto saxophone, Jemeel Moondoc, with the astonishing bass playing of William Parker, and what do you have? It should not come as a surprise to anyone that this live set from the 1998 Fire in the Valley Festival is not only some of the best Moondoc material on disc, but also a fine example of some of the best free saxophone playing in recent years. Parker is a strong addition to any group, but he is mostly in a supporting role here, while Moondoc spurts forth line after line of creative inspiration. There is an acerbic quality to the saxophonist's sound, reminiscent of Ornette Colemen's tone from the early 1960s. Moondoc is a sort of odd, underrated elder statesman of free music, occupying a role not dissimilar to that of Chicago tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson. There is much to savor on this one, and a lot from which younger musicians can learn.
~ steven loewy at all music guide (march 2000)
Over the years Jemeel Moondoc has suffered from the myopic vision of certain critics who have referred to his saxophone technique with such misplaced adjectives as “primitive” and “odd ball.” Other shortsighted souls have focused their squinted gaze on his flamboyant fashion sense and summarily assumed that his music must be clownish or comedic in nature. There is definitely a raw edge and a healthy humor to Moondoc’s sound, but these are only facets of a far more expansive whole. This disc, like those that have preceded it in Moondoc’s still modest portfolio, once again sets the record straight for those willing to listen and reveals the broadness of his musical brush. But rather than coasting on a formulaic presentation Moondoc instead boldly breaks new bread by teaming up with Parker in a stripped down setting and in the process delivers arguably his most complete and cogently stated opus to date.
Neither man is a novice when it comes to the other’s music. Moondoc and Parker have teamed up on numerous occasions since the mid-70s (check Parker’s Through Acceptance of the Mystery Peace also on Eremite for one of their earliest collaborations). In front of the fortunate audience at 1998’s Fire In the Valley Festival their familiarity rises immediately to the fore as both men jettison the fetters of decorum and play off each other with a visceral zeal. A further element, which adds immeasurably to the listening experience is the clarity of sound achieved by engineer Alen Hadzi-Stefanov. I’ve personally never heard Parker’s sound rendered so exquisitely on a recording as it is here. Every nuance of his febrile strings is captured in ear-arresting detail and Moondoc’s horn is afforded equally lavish treatment.
On “New World Pygmies” dense thickets of palpitating rhythmic umbrage sprout from Parker’s bass creating the sonic illusion of verdant jungle landscapes as Moondoc’s spiraling sax etches cloud-like curlicues above. With “Little Huey Sees A Rainbow” the pair refracts a melodic motif through the lens of their instruments into innumerable rays of shimmering chromatic light. The thundering bass-driven march of “Theme For Pelikan” is another iridescent animal and finds both players molting musical skins in rapid telegraphic sequence. Again the separation and clarity of the instruments is stunning. Mercurial bow and scurrying reed commune throughout “Not Quite Ready For Prime Time,” a performance that despite the title’s contention could easily surpass much of what passes for prime time fare these days. Moondoc’s Ayleresque moan on “Another Angel Goes Home” weaves with Parker’s ferrous arco lines and takes things out on a somber, but emotively charged note to the eventual eruption of unanimous applause. The “Encore” is a perfect aural aperitif touching on facets of the preceding material, but also moving forward into undiscovered tastes and sounds. Those who know the music of Moondoc and Parker can already guess at the essential nature of this recording. To those who do not and the significance of the date cannot be overstated. All’s that’s left to do is to log onto Eremite’s site or hurry down to your local record shop and secure yourself a copy!
~ derek taylor at allaboutjazz (june 2000)
I am way behind on my album reviewing. I have a lot of good stuff from Posi-Tone to review. I hope to do that properly soon, but my summer schedule is tighter than my fall and spring schedules. Just right now I am listening to New World Pygmies, a 1999 duet album with Moondoc on alto sax and William Parker on double bass (Eremite Records). What a fine piece of jazz.
The music is brilliant, lyrical, and deeply passionate. It's avant garde, to be sure; however, it is more accessible music than you might expect from these two luminaries. You will want to listen to it where the background noise is minimal. You need to be able to hear ever inch of Parker's strings. The sound is superb, and that is essential on an album like this. The sheer sound of the instruments is almost a third party to the recording.
I was able to get New World Pygmies for a reasonable price from Amazon. What I don't understand is why it's not available in mp3 format. Since so much music is purchased that way now, any label not getting its music up online is dropping the ball. Moreover, this is the kind of thing you would have had a hard time finding when CD stores and jazz sections still roamed the Earth. Give this one a shot. Tell 'em I sent ya.
~ ken blanchard at jazz note sdp (june 2011)

Jemeel Moondoc - alto saxophone
William Parker - double bass