Slight Freedom
| Slight Freedom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 9, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2013–2014[1] | |||
| Genre | Jazz[2] | |||
| Length | 37:20 | |||
| Label | Eremite | |||
| Producers |
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| Jeff Parker chronology | ||||
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Slight Freedom is a solo studio album by American guitarist Jeff Parker. It was released on December 9, 2016, through Eremite Records.
Background
[edit]Jeff Parker is a guitarist of the band Tortoise.[3] Slight Freedom is his second album of 2016, following The New Breed.[4] It is his first solo guitar record.[5] On the album, Parker plays electric guitar, effects, and samplers.[4] The album was recorded with no overdubs, using a Boomerang Phrase Sampler to layer sounds in real time.[6] It consists of four tracks: "Slight Freedom"; an instrumental cover of Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids"; a rendition of "Mainz", written by Chad Taylor; and an instrumental version of the standard "Lush Life", written by Billy Strayhorn.[6] The album clocks in at 37 minutes.[2] The album's cover art features a black-and-white photograph of Parker performing.[2]
The album was released on December 9, 2016, through Eremite Records.[2]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| DownBeat |   [4] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10[6] |
| PopMatters | 9/10[2] |
Bill Meyer of DownBeat compared the album to The New Breed, writing, "Slight Freedom presents the more adventurous side of Parker's playing, but it is rooted in the same African-American pop lineage."[4] John Garratt of PopMatters commented that "Even the spaciest Tortoise tracks are insufficient in preparing for what awaits you on Slight Freedom."[2] Philip Sherburne of Pitchfork stated, "It's not jazz, it's not ambient, it's not noise; it's something more idiosyncratic and more personal, something only Parker could have come up with."[6] Lars Gotrich of NPR Music called the album "One of 2016's most unassuming revelations in guitar music."[5]
Accolades
[edit]| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnet | Best of 2016: Jazz/Improv | 9 |
|
| NPR Music | The Top 10 Solo Guitar Records of 2016 | — |
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slight Freedom" | Jeff Parker | 11:34 |
| 2. | "Super Rich Kids" | Frank Ocean | 5:08 |
| 3. | "Mainz" | Chad Taylor | 12:19 |
| 4. | "Lush Life" | Billy Strayhorn | 8:18 |
| Total length: | 37:20 | ||
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from liner notes.[1]
- Jeff Parker – electric guitar, effects, sampler, production
- Griffin Alan Rodriguez – recording (1, 4)
- Emmett Kelly – recording (2, 3)
- Michael Ehlers – recording (2, 3), production
- Helge Sten – mastering
- Mikel Patrick Avery – photography
- Alan Sherry – silkscreening
References
[edit]- 1 2 Jeff Parker (2016). Slight Freedom (vinyl liner notes). Eremite Records.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Garratt, John (January 17, 2017). "Jeff Parker: Slight Freedom". PopMatters. Archived from the original on January 25, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- ↑ Helman, Peter (January 4, 2017). "Hear Tortoise Guitarist Jeff Parker's Ambient Take On Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Meyer, Bill (January 2017). "Slight Freedom - Jeff Parker". DownBeat. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Gotrich, Lars (December 30, 2016). "The Top 10 Solo Guitar Records Of 2016". NPR. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Sherburne, Philip (December 19, 2016). "Jeff Parker: Slight Freedom". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- ↑ Meyer, Bill (January 2, 2017). "Best Of 2016: Jazz/Improv". Magnet. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Slight Freedom | Jeff Parker". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Slight Freedom at Discogs (list of releases)
- Slight Freedom at AllMusic