Slight Freedom

Slight Freedom
Studio album by
Jeff Parker
ReleasedDecember 9, 2016 (2016-12-09)
Recorded2013–2014
GenreJazz
Length37:20
LabelEremite
Producers
  • Jeff Parker
  • Michael Ehlers
Jeff Parker chronology
The New Breed
(2016)		 Slight Freedom
(2016)		 Suite for Max Brown
(2020)

Slight Freedom is a solo studio album by American guitarist Jeff Parker. It was released on December 9, 2016, through Eremite Records.

Background

Jeff Parker is a guitarist of the band Tortoise. Slight Freedom is his second album of 2016, following The New Breed. It is his first solo guitar record. On the album, Parker plays electric guitar, effects, and samplers. The album was recorded with no overdubs, using a Boomerang Phrase Sampler to layer sounds in real time. 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. The album clocks in at 37 minutes. The album's cover art features a black-and-white photograph of Parker performing.

The album was released on December 9, 2016, through Eremite Records.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
DownBeatStarStarStarStarHalf star
Pitchfork8.0/10
PopMatters9/10

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." John Garratt of PopMatters commented that "Even the spaciest Tortoise tracks are insufficient in preparing for what awaits you on Slight Freedom." 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." Lars Gotrich of NPR Music called the album "One of 2016's most unassuming revelations in guitar music."

Accolades

Year-end lists for Slight Freedom
Publication List Rank Ref.
Magnet Best of 2016: Jazz/Improv
9
NPR Music The Top 10 Solo Guitar Records of 2016
—

Track listing

Slight Freedom track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Slight Freedom"Jeff Parker11:34
2."Super Rich Kids"Frank Ocean5:08
3."Mainz"Chad Taylor12:19
4."Lush Life"Billy Strayhorn8:18
Total length:37:20

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

References

  1. 1 2 Jeff Parker (2016). Slight Freedom (vinyl liner notes). Eremite Records.
  2. 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. ↑ Meyer, Bill (January 2, 2017). "Best Of 2016: Jazz/Improv". Magnet. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Slight Freedom | Jeff Parker". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2026.