William Hooker

William Hooker (born June 18, 1946) is an American drummer and composer.

Hooker was born in New Britain, Connecticut, on June 18, 1946. He began to play the drums at the age of 12. In high school, he played in a rock band, then switched to jazz. After graduating from Central Connecticut College, Hooker moved to California and became interested in free jazz.

Hooker moved to New York in the mid-1970s and was part of the loft scene, playing with musicians such as saxophonists David Murray and David S. Ware. His first recording as a leader was in 1976. His music was too radical to be commercially successful, and Hooker took other jobs to earn a living. This changed after he received praise for a 1988 recording, and he made frequent appearances at the Knitting Factory from early the following decade. Hooker was a founding member of the Text of Light, a musician's collective that released seven albums between 2004 and 2010.

Hooker has led several bands, including a drums–trumpet–saxophone trio and an organ trio. They usually do not feature a bass, "because of the intensity and volume of his drumming". He has also been the drummer in duos with guitarists, including Elliott Sharp and Thurston Moore. Hooker's playing and recordings have embraced a wide range and combination of musics, including free jazz, noise rock, electronics, contemporary classical, and experimental electronic.

The Down Beat reviewer of Hooker's Symphonie Of Flowers album wrote "Hooker uses history to enliven a suite of music that bounds through subgenres and percussive ideas".

"He is an elemental drummer of considerable force, equally at home in free-form jazz and avant-garde rock circles; he also experiments with electronics and turntables".

• ...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)
• Aria -featuring Dave Soldier, On Davis, Mark Hennan, Richard Keene, and Louie Belogenis (Multatta Records 2016)
• Pillars ... at the Portal (Multatta Records 2018)