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Aaron Parks

Pianist Aaron Parks is a forward-thinking jazz musician who came to the public's attention during his time with trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Born in Seattle, Washington, Parks began playing piano at a young age and by the time he was 14 had enrolled in an early entrance degree program at the University of Washington.

Originally, Parks pursued both science and music degrees; however, his prodigious talent won out and by age 16 he had transferred to the Manhattan School of Music. While there, he studied with noted pianist Kenny Barron and received several competitive accolades, including being named the 2001 Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association.

At age 18 he joined Blanchard's ensemble and subsequently recorded four albums with the veteran trumpeter, including 2003's Bounce, 2005's Flow, the soundtrack to the 2006 Spike Lee film Inside Man, and Blanchard's 2007 Grammy-winning opus A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Besides playing with Blanchard, Parks has performed with a variety of artists including trumpeter Christian Scott, drummer Kendrick Scott, vocalist Gretchen Parlato, and others. Parks has released several albums under his own name, including his 2008 Blue Note debut, Invisible Cinema.

Parks, who has also recorded with Christian Scott, Kendrick Scott, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, was an integral part of the James Farm Quartet with Joshua Redman, Matt Penman, and Eric Harland. Nonesuch released their self-titled album in 2011. The pianist subsequently signed to ECM and released the solo piano offering Arborescence in the fall of 2013. He also made sideman appearances on Will Vinson's Live at Smalls and Yeahwon Shin's Lua Ya, and Live in Japan with his own trio of Thomas Morgan and RJ Miller.

It was recorded on the pianist's phone during a show and released for free on his Bandcamp page. Find the Way, his sophomore label date for ECM, was issued in late spring of 2017. It featured bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart in the rhythm section and was inspired in part (according to Parks) by the music of Alice Coltrane and Shirley Horn (for whom Hart played); both of whom prioritized space and subtlety in composition and improvisation.

Source: Matt Collar, AllMusic

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Album Review

Joshua Redman: Where Are We

Read "Where Are We" reviewed by Dave Linn


After graduating from Berkeley High School in 1986, Joshua Redman (son of jazz legend Dewey Redman) won a full scholarship to Harvard, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1991. He was accepted at Yale Law School to become a lawyer. Instead, he embarked on a musical career which quickly turned luminous. He won the Thelonious Monk Institute's prestigious jazz saxophone competition in 1991, before moving to Brooklyn, becoming part of the thriving scene there. His debut album, Joshua Redman ...

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Album Review

Kurt Rosenwinkel: Undercover: Live At The Village Vanguard

Read "Undercover: Live At The Village Vanguard" reviewed by Chris May


Kurt Rosenwinkel records in a variety of situations, either from inclination or to keep himself and his audience fresh or both. In 2022 alone, he released three unusually diverse albums: Plays Piano, a solo outing on which he plays piano only; The Chopin Project, a co-led disc with pianist Jean-Paul Brodbeck exploring the work of Frederic Chopin; and Berlin Baritone, another solo album, this time playing a baritone guitar. Undercover: Live At The Village Vanguard is back ...

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Play This!

Nu Deco Ensemble + Aaron Parks: Chronos

Read "Nu Deco Ensemble + Aaron Parks: Chronos" reviewed by Mike Jacobs


First appearing on Aaron Parks' joint venture with Matt Penman, Joshua Redman and Eric Harland, James Farm (Nonesuch, 2011), Miami's adventurous Nu Deco Ensemble takes AP's composition “Chronos" out for an expanded spin, with the composer himself as guest performer. From the 2019 digital-only release Nu Deco Ensemble + Aaron Parks: Live From Miami. ...

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Liner Notes

Marshall Gilkes: Cyclic Journey

Read "Marshall Gilkes: Cyclic Journey" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Wonders never cease with Marshall Gilkes. Having previously reached extraordinary heights as a leader on a breakout quartet set, two standout quintet dates, a pair of essential releases with the WDR Big Band and one stunning trio album, this celebrated trombonist and composer now moves beyond known borders. Directing and fronting a sui generis assemblage merging a top-shelf rhythm combo with a brilliant brass ensemble, he uncovers and explores the conventions of his own cyclic journey. “I wrote the music ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Japanese fusion from T Square, plus Jacek Kochan and Aaron parks

Read "Japanese fusion from T Square, plus  Jacek Kochan  and Aaron parks" reviewed by Len Davis


Japanese band T Square, little known music from Serbia with Bosque Sound Community, Greek Bassist Yiorgos Fakanas, pianist Aaron Parks and Tom Coster.Playlist T Square “Megalith" from NEW-S (Sony) 00:00 Jacek Kochan “What's In the Bag" from Life, Stress and Other Pleasures (Self Produced) 06:57 Bosque Sound Community “UP, Pt 1" from Shambala (The State 51) 13:50 Yiorgos Fakanas “Topaz Pt 1" from Topaz (Self Produced) 20:51 Aaron Parks “Digital Society" from Little Big (Ropeadope) 27:57 Tom Coster ...

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Extended Analysis

Brass And Ivory Tales

Read "Brass And Ivory Tales" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


Innovative saxophonist Ivo Perelman celebrates his 60th birthday with the release of a magnum opus, Brass And Ivory Tales. Recorded over a period of seven years, this nine-volume box set is impressive in both its depth and breath as it matches Perelman with a different piano master per disc. The improvised duets are usually the first documented meeting between the two musicians and the instant and rapidly evolving synergy is fresh and thrilling. Both remarkable and expected is Perelman's ability ...

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Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Brass And Ivory Tales

Read "Brass And Ivory Tales" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Archeologists and cultural anthropologists theorize early humans had some form of music appreciation. They listened to the sounds wind made as it passed through trees. The breeze sounded different passing through oak than it did fir trees, and the sound was altered whether it was spring or fall. Then there were the bird songs, the first Lennon & McCartneys of the stone age. Early man replicated these melodies, with bones that could be whittled into horns or used to recreate ...

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Recording

Recent And Upcoming ECM Releases: April - June 2017

Recent And Upcoming ECM Releases: April - June 2017

Source: Universal Music Group

Look for these recent or upcoming releases on ECM Records. Aaron Parks Find the Way Aaron Parks: piano, Ben Street: double bass, Billy Hart: drums. For the second ECM album by Aaron Parks—following the solo release Aborescence, which JazzTimes praised as “expansive, impressionistic… like a vision quest”—the prize-winning pianist has convened a cross-generational trio featuring bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart. The rhythm pair, which also teams in Hart’s hit quartet for ECM, blends fluidity and strength—what ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aaron Parks' birthday today! “Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity... Read more. Place our Musician of the Day widget ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aaron Parks' birthday today!

“Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aaron Parks' birthday today!

“Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day widget ...

94

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aaron Parks

Source:

All About Jazz is celebrating Aaron Parks' birthday today!

“Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity..."Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe ...

244

Interview

Jazz Pianist Aaron Parks is Back on the Farm -- The James Farm

Jazz Pianist Aaron Parks is Back on the Farm -- The James Farm

Source: Michael Ricci

When exactly the jazz pianist Aaron Parks became a prodigy is unclear, although he fit the description by the time he enrolled, at age 14, in the University of Washington to study music. Now 26, what Parks remembers more clearly is the day, about four years later, that it seemed his time was up, when someone much younger than he sat in front of him and played the piano.

James Farm: Matt Penman, Joshua Redman, Aaron Parks, Eric Harland

“I ...

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Music Industry

Aaron Parks: To the Big Screen, and Back to the Jazz Scene

Aaron Parks: To the Big Screen, and Back to the Jazz Scene

Source: All About Jazz

"Aaron Parks: Seattle's Boy Genius" is not the story anymore. The local jazz piano prodigy, who went to the University of Washington straight out of junior high, is now 25, living in New York City for the past eight years. He's moved into movies, assisting his mentor Terence Blanchard on soundtracks for Spike Lee's Katrina documentary “When the Levees Broke" (among other Lee titles) as well as the filmic adaptation of “Their Eyes Were Watching God"; and Parks has a ...

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Recording

Aaron Parks' Blue Note Debut "Invisible Cinema" Released, Full Album Stream at AOL

Aaron Parks' Blue Note Debut "Invisible Cinema" Released, Full Album Stream at AOL

Source: On Target Media Group

Rapidly rising Jazz pianist Aaron Parks' Blue Note Records debut Invisible Cinema hits stores this week; the whole album is available to stream now at AOL. Invisible Cinema is a stunning concept record conceived entirely by the 24-year- old, and with his technically involved, melodic and sensitive playing, Parks is setting a new standard for Jazz piano expression. Available now, Invisible Cinema is an acoustic jazz record that evokes sonic and rhythmic frontiers through the use ...

156

Interview

Pianist Aaron Parks Interviewed at AAJ...And More!

Pianist Aaron Parks Interviewed at AAJ...And More!

Source: All About Jazz

Pianist and composer Aaron Parks is 24 years old--and he started college 11 years ago. A child prodigy who entered the University of Washington at age 13 as a triple major in math, computer science and music, Parks quickly found that music was his true calling. Now, after a five-year stint with trumpeter Terence Blanchard, Parks is set to release his Blue Note debut, Invisible Cinema. The album, which hits stores on August 19, 2008, is a tour de force ...

150

Radio

The Jazz Session #38: Aaron Parks

The Jazz Session #38: Aaron Parks

Source: All About Jazz

Jason Crane interviews pianist and composer Aaron Parks. Parks is 24 years oldand he started college 11 years ago. A child prodigy who entered the University of Washington at age 13 as a triple major in math, computer science and music, Parks quickly found that music was his true calling. Now, after a five-year stint with trumpeter Terence Blanchard, Parks has released his Blue Note debut, Invisible Cinema. The album is a tour de force of composition, imagination and performance. ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Undercover: Live At...

Heartcore Records
2023

buy

Where Are We

Blue Note Records
2023

buy

Cyclic Journey

Self Produced
2022

buy

Elements for Peace

Butman Music Records
2022

buy

Brass And Ivory Tales

Fundacja Sluchaj
2021

buy

Lagos Pepper Soup

Self Produced
2020

buy

The Trion Re

From: Spirit Science
By Aaron Parks

Nemesis

From: Invisible Cinema
By Aaron Parks

Videos

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