Martin Luther King’s weekend was the perfect time for the premiere of William Parker’s newest work Flower in a Stained Glass. Mr. Parker is a renowned composer and bassist and this weekend together with the “Tone Motion Theatre” he presented the fifth part, “Yes I Dream of Freedom,” of his new work at the Roulette, a beautiful performance space in Brooklyn.
For this installment Mr. Parker brought together an impressive group of musicians and performers including the Transformational Music Ensemble led by the saxophonist Keir Neuringer, a vocal trio featuring Fay Victor, Kyoko Kitamura and ana isma viel and the Spirit Catcher’s Ensemble, an improvisational group led by Parker. The performance also featured a stunning dance trio led and choreographed by Parker’s wife, Patricia Nicholson.
All the music and text was written by William Parker; the composed music served as a backdrop for the night of semi-free improvisation. Dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King, the two act piece incorporated text by MLK as well as spoken parts written by William Parker. The text was recited by Nick Demeris, who is described as “actor-political-organizer-turned-solo-singing-rapper” and the role of Doctor King was played by Larry Roland, whose performance was outstanding.
Larry Roland
Nick Demeris
The whole performance indirectly invited the audience to reflect upon the current state of affairs in the U.S., especially fitting given the events of the past year and the continuous racial injustice in the U.S. The powerful words of Mr. King and his message were amplified by the musical performance, the masterful musical act that was emotionally charged and evoked a message of hope in the midst of darkness and despair. The message that freedom is not something you ask for, it is not anything that can be GIVEN but rather is what’s inside of you already, is a powerful one – “the ones that ask for freedom are not free/the ones that ask for freedom are not free/the ones that ask for freedom are not free” – chanted the voices. Freedom has to come from within. It is noone’s to give. Any meaningful change and transformation must come from within rather than be handed down or given by anyone else. The three hour long performance was a beautiful way to celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King and spread the message of hope.
Anna Yatskevich is Flowers In A Gun’s glamorous jazz & beyond critic! Catch more reviews from her here and follow her on IG and Twitter @jazzaddikt.
