Search - Jemeel Moondoc, William Parker, Hamid Drake :: New World Pygmies 2

Deep digging

John C. Graham | toronto, ontario Canada | 03/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
This is really an extraordinary hunk of music. I don't think there is really anything to compare it to. It's not continuous shrieking stuff at all. You can hear the blues. You can hear the beautiful tones of the instruments. You can even tap your toe to it. NOW, I can't imagine myself being without it. It really is extraordinary.....if you close your eyes when listening to it, you will swear they are playing for you at your own place. Buy it now before it goes out of print...like vol.1"

50% of a wonderful Live album

Pharoah S. Wail | Inner Space | 10/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"With Jemeel Moondoc, William Parker and Hamid Drake recorded on 11/4/00 (disc 2 from Chicago) and just Jemeel & William on 11/5/00 (disc 1 from Madison, WI) I bought this with Christmas money at the end of 2006.



I think it's half perfect. I have a sensitivity with regard to my ears. Some things feel like they are burning or bothering my ears. On disc 1 (where William is recorded more quietly than he is on disc 2), for me to get to a volume so William is where I want him to be, Jemeel is burning my ears. For that reason, I've only listened to it a few times and have never lost myself in it.



Disc 2: Oh yes please and bring me more! William and Hamid are my favorite bass & drums duo of my lifetime. Disc 2 carved that even more deeply into the stone tablet of my life. Tracks 3 & 4 in particular. #3 features Jemeel as the deep-blues alto master. Wynton Marsalis is the self-appointed protector of Blues & Swing but deep down he knows he has never touched this. He should apologize to these 3 artists.



Though Jemeel is sometimes mentioned as playing like Ornette, the head of track #4 is the sort of thing that is Ornette-ish, though once things open up he doesn't play like him. This is another killer example of why I love William & Hamid. Of all the people to have ever been tagged "free jazz", none have ever caused their fans to burn off as many calories dancing as these 2. "Rhythm section" my foot! Melodic Rhythm Sorcerers is what they are.



With track 1 being Jemeel & William on reeds (with some bass towards the end) and Hamid on primordial traps, I feel this is the reason they're the New World Pygmies. One could hear this song and think it's music forgotten or "undiscovered" by the Western world. Ancient to the Future! Tribal mountain rainforest music of the first order. Hamid's drums... his tone... he was captured beautifully on this disc. Open and airy.



Disc #2 is 5 stars from me all the way."