William Hooker (musician)

William Hooker is an American jazz drummer and composer.

Hooker has performed as a leader of many ensembles of improvised and new music. “Recognized as an iconoclast, and one of the most innovative musicians and drummers of his generation, William knows no genre bounds and ceaselessly searches for new forms of music, always with the intent to inspire.”

Accompanying musicians have included: Billy Bang, Thurston Moore, David Murray, David S. Ware, William Parker, Melvin Gibbs, Donald Miller, DJ Olive, Elliott Sharp, Malachi Thompson, Zeena Parkins, Lee Ranaldo, DJ Spooky, Rob Brown, Roy Campbell, Mark Hennen, Steven Bernstein, Roy Nathanson, Jason Hwang, Dave Soldier, Sabir Mateen, Glenn Spearman, Joseph Celli, Ellen Christi, and many others.

Critical acclaim

“a tireless, inspired and fluent drummer” -- Downbeat

“The real wonder of the set is Hooker, who manages to give long performances a consistent pulse and energy without ever setting a clearly discernible metre - The Wire

“Kingpin of the free jazz world, Hooker’s limits have been boundless” - Chris Sabbath, San Francisco Chronicle

Discography

• ...Is Eternal Life (1982)
• Brighter Lights (1986)
• Lifeline (1988)
• The Firmament Fury (1989)
• Shamballa - Duets with Thurston Moore and Elliott Sharp (1993)
• Envisioning (1994)
• Joy (Within)! (1994)
• Radiation (1994)
• Armageddon (1995)
• Gift of Tongues (1995)
• Heat of the Light (Dream Sequences) (1996)
• Tibet (1996)
• Mindfulness (1997)
• The Distance Between Us (1999)
• Bouquet: Live at the Knitting Factory 4.23.99 (2000)
• Black Mask (2002)
• Out Trios, Vol. 1: Monsoon (2003)
• Yearn for Certainty - Trios with Sabir Mateen and Dave Soldier (2010)
• Heart of the Sun - Trios with Roy Campbell and Dave Soldier (2013)
• Red - William Hooker Quartet featuring Matt Lavell, Mark Hennen, Larry Roland and William Hooker (Atypeek Music 2015)

External links

• William Hooker interview by Matt Silcock, Perfect Sound Forever, February 2000.