Oliver Lake / William Parker
To Roy
2015 - Intakt Records: Intakt CD 243 
http://www.intaktrec.ch/243-a.htm

* Oliver Lake: saxophone
* William Parker: bass
 
http://www.oliverlake.net/ 
http://www.musicofwilliamparker.com/

Dedicated to trumpeter Roy Campbell, who died in 2014. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Campbell,_Jr.

Recorded January 14, 2014, by Peter Karl at Peterkarlstudios, Brooklyn NY.


Reviews
~~~~~~~

By Tim Niland

The loss of the great trumpeter Roy Campbell was a tremendous shock to the
progressive jazz scene. Alto saxophonist Oliver Lake and bassist William Parker
play tribute to their fallen comrade with this duet album recorded in 2014 in
Brooklyn. They begin the album with “Theme of Marvin Gaye” which has the sparse
avant-grade sense of the material, but still flows with Parker’s sense of
soulful pulse to gently drive the music forward. They really push the envelope
on “Check” with Lake driving relentlessly forward with a torrid wave of notes
and then being able to pirouette on a dime to allow his partner open space. “Is
It Alright” has the two musicians collectively improvising in an excellent
fashion, Lake with a raw and strident tone juxtaposed very well against
Parker’s deep concrete foundation. On “Biscaglia” they both master very quiet
sounds, haunting but respectful, with Lake’s short bursts of saxophone having a
near trumpet like tone. Plaintive wails of saxophone and bowed bass on “Flight
Plan” make for a freely expressive meeting of the minds. There is a wonderful
duet section on “Victor Jara” where William Parker ups the speed and Oliver
Lake dips into his Eric Dlophy bag and gives chase. They reach for the stars on
“Bonu” with Lake angling his saxophone for more power and Parker digging deep
in support and conversation.  “Net Down” is even more powerful with Parker’s
sawing bowed bass and Lake’s high-pitched circular bellows of saxophone, making
for a very exciting performance. The gospel “Light over Still Water Paints a
Portrait of God” feature Parker’s expressive bowing bass developing a wonderful
array of sounds to contrast the questing saxophone of Lake who at times
approaches the music of spiritual seekers like Albert Ayler. The raw and
declamatory “For Roy” ends the album with a proper send off, tough and tender
it sums up the album and what they have learned from Campbell as a
musician. Both Lake and Parker are in top form, putting their egos aside to
remember their longtime friend and college. The music is at times somber and
difficult but such was the music of the man they honor, who never shrunk form a
challenge and left a powerful legacy.

--

Intakt Records reviews 
http://www.intaktrec.ch/rev243-a.htm

By Stefan Wood 
http://www.freejazzblog.org/2015/06/oliver-lake-william-parker-to-roy.html

By Derek Taylor

By Glenn Astarita 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/to-roy-oliver-lake-intakt-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

By John Sharpe 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/to-roy-oliver-lake-intakt-records-review-by-john-sharpe.php

Da Aldo Del Noce (it) 
http://www.jazzconvention.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2342:oliver-lake-a-william-parker-to-roy&catid=2:recensioni&Itemid=11

Par Antoine Arlot (fr) 
http://www.citizenjazz.com/Oliver-Lake-William-Parker.html

Par Luc Bouquet (fr)