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Bob Avakian is a serious revolutionary leader and wide-ranging thinker. He is the leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party and a movement aiming to make revolution when the possibility opens up. He is someone who, in the words of Cornel West, "is a long distance runner in the freedom struggle against imperialism, racism and capitalism."

William Parker is a master musician, improviser, and composer. He plays the bass, shakuhachi, double reeds, tuba, donso ngoni and gembri. Parker is also a theorist and author of several books. As Steve Greenlee of the Boston Globe stated in July 2002, "William Parker has emerged as the most important leader of the current avant-garde scene in jazz."

http://soundcloud.com/AllPlayedOut 

"All Played Out is a cathartic message by Bob Avakian who like all political strategists is a mover and thinker who is trying to shed some light on this fog of ignorance and gullibility, that is the backbone of our existence here in America. He is telling us that since 1492 when Christopher Columbus landed in Hispaniola and killed the first Tainos Indians things have gone down hill from there. The founding fathers were all gangsters, thieves and liars. He is telling us that we are not free and we have never been free there were never any good old days. Racism, sexism, extreme capitalism has been the word for the last five hundred years and continues to be present at the core of America today. All Played Out is a 12-minute rap with a message to America and anyone else that is listening to Wake Up! Revolution Now!

"Music is political because it inspires us to think to see beyond the horizon so it was my intent to give Avakian's message some lift but also to become the words to bring them to life in another way too. A word is sound, a sound is a word."

William Parker

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William Parker will be performing at "On the Occasion of the Publication of BAsics: A Celebration of Revolution and the Vision of a New World," on April 11, at Harlem Stage. This will be an evening of music, visual art, poetry and readings. Parker will be joined by Matthew Shipp, David Murray, Ruby Dee, and many others. BAsics, from the Talks and Writings of Bob Avakian, is a new book that speaks powerfully to questions of revolution and human emancipation, to be released April 5th.  

Find out more at http://www.revolutionbooksnyc.org/April11.html  

Media resources are available at http://www.revolutionbooksnyc.org/April11media.html