Lion of the New York free scene, bassist and composer William Parker is in many ways comparable to his predecessor, the great Charles Mingus, both in his uncompromising approach to his art and in his allegiance to political causes.

This lavish, limited edition box set is actually four albums in one, each showcasing those qualities in different ways: For Fannie Lou Hamer is a homage to the civil rights activist, performed by an NYC ten-piece; Vermeer is a song series for quartet; Red Giraffe with Dreadlocks is a sprawling world music epic recorded live in Paris; and Ceremonies for Those Who Are, Still is his first score for orchestra with saxophonist Charles Gayle guesting.

A state-of-his-art release from a master of free music.

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