William Parker / Tone Motion Theatre at Roulette

Tonight composer–improvisor–multi-instrumentalist William Parker will premiere a major new work at Roulette, Brooklyn. Presenting Part Five of his extended work Flower In A Stained Glass Window will be the Transformational Music Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based new music chamber group guided by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, who will interpret Parker's score. This music will serve as both background and catalyst to the improvisations of the Spirit Catchers, an ensemble comprised of master improvising musicians. This total night of Tone Motion Theatre will also feature the choreography of Patricia Nicholson, and the voices of singers & actors who will perform words by William Parker with additional texts by Martin Luther King, Jr. ...

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Tonight composer–improvisor–multi-instrumentalist William Parker will premiere a major new work at Roulette, Brooklyn. Presenting Part Five of his extended work Flower In A Stained Glass Window will be the Transformational Music Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based new music chamber group guided by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, who will interpret Parker's score. This music will serve as both background and catalyst to the improvisations of the Spirit Catchers, an ensemble comprised of master improvising musicians. This total night of Tone Motion Theatre will also feature the choreography of Patricia Nicholson, and the voices of singers & actors who will perform words by William Parker with additional texts by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Parts One – Four of Flower In A Stained Glass Window were premiered as part of Ars Nova Workshop / New Paths Festival in Philadelphia on May 11-14, 2014. This entire long-form work is dedicated to Martin Luther King, and the presentation of Part Five, Yes I Dream of Freedom, will take place during the extended weekend that we as a country commemorate and celebrate King.

WILLIAM PARKER / The Tone Motion Theatre Project
"Flower in A Stained Glass Window"
Part Five "Yes I Dream of Freedom"
Dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Imagine it is April 4. 1968. A dying Doctor King’s spirit leaves his body. On the way home he encounters Lakota medicine man Tašúŋke Witkó who was rushing to the scene to bring him back to life through music, sounds and movement. Instead of reminiscing of the past they talk about how the revolution must come from within; that freedom cannot be handed out it is already inside of us."

All compositions and words by William Parker
Additional text by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Transformational Music Ensemble
Keir Neuringer: alto saxophone, musical director
Mike Watson: bass clarinet
Ryan Frazier: trumpet
Larry Toft: trombone
Veronica Jurkiewicz: violin/viola
Thomas Kraines: cello

Spirit Catchers
William Parker: strings
Hamid Drake: drums
Steve Swell: trombone
Joe McPhee: trumpet, saxophones
Daniel Carter: reeds. trumpet
Cooper-Moore: piano, banjo

Voices
Fay Victor
Kyoko Kitamura
Ana Ïsma Viel

Larry Roland as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nick Demeris as Tašúŋke Witkó

Choreography by Patricia Nicholson

Special Guests
Marlon Jordan: trumpet
Jalalu Kalvert Nelson: trumpet
Alan Glover “Juice”: tenor sax
Mazz Swift: violin

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