Musician, improvisor, educator, composer and author William Parker plays the bass, shakuhachi, double reeds, tuba, donso ngoni and gembri.

Born in 1952 in the Bronx, he studied bass with jazz greats such as Richard Davis, Art Davis, Milt Hinton, Wilber Ware, Jimmy Garrison, and Paul West and has recorded over 150 albums. In 2013, he received the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award.

Parker hasn’t performed in Cleveland since 1998, but local promoters New Ghosts have booked him to play at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Bop Stop. Dancer and veteran arts organizer Patricia Nicholson Parker as well as a local performer to be announced shortly will join him.

Following the performances, the New Ghosts folks will facilitate a Q&A discussion with performers and audience members about “the role of artists in one’s community as activists and defenders of humanity.”

Tickets are $15.

This article appears in Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2016.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.