William Hooker Solo Drummer & Word Spoken Artist

Working on the periphery of jazz since 1974, drummer, composer, and poet William Hooker has been a formidable presence on the avant-jazz, noise rock, and free improvisation scenes in the United States and Europe. His kinetically charged, free-time playing style and oft-employed spoken word poetry have been combined with some of the finest improvising talent across generations and stylistic boundaries. His first album, 1975's double length ...Is Eternal Life, found him leading a band with fellow young lions David Murray and David S. Ware. 1993's Shamballa was a collection of duets with guitarists Thurston Moore and Elliott Sharp. For 1995's The Gift of Tongues, he enlisted Lee Ranaldo and Zeena Parkins. Between 1999 and 2010, he was a founding member of the musician's collective the Text of Light. Between their 2004 self-titled debut and 2010's Live at ATP-NY 2010, they issued seven albums. He also led his own groups. 2004's The Gift: Live at Sangha featured Roy Campbell and Jason Hwang. 2012's Red featured a quartet, while 2013's Heart of the Sunwas a trio with Campbell and Dave Soldier. In 2019, he led a trio with upright bassist/electronicist Joel Peterson and trumpeter/electronicist Mark Kirschenmann; they issued the acclaimed improv album Cycle of Restoration. 2021's Big Moon showcased the drummer leading a nonet, while 2022's Lewitt Etudes was recorded in collaboration with Dave Soldier. In 2023, Hooker issued Flesh & Bones, leading an avant sextet that included bassist Hilliard Greene, saxophonist Ras Moshe, and violinist Charlie Burnham.