Aaron Parks

Aaron Parks (born October 7, 1983) is an American jazz pianist.

Aaron Parks
Aaron Parks plays a duo concert with Adam Baldych in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2014.
Aaron Parks plays a duo concert with Adam Baldych in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2014.
Background information
Born (1983-10-07) October 7, 1983
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active2001–present
LabelsBlue Note, Nonesuch, ECM, Ropeadope
Websiteaaronparks.com

Career

A native of Seattle, Parks studied at the University of Washington at the age of 14[1] through the Transition School and Early Entrance Program as a double major in computer science and music. At 15 he was selected to participate in the Grammy High School Jazz Ensembles which inspired him to move to New York City and transfer to the Manhattan School of Music. At Manhattan one of his teachers was Kenny Barron.[1] During his final year he began touring with Terence Blanchard's band, recording three albums with him for Blue Note, including the Grammy-winning A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina).[1][2] Parks can be heard on the soundtracks to Their Eyes Were Watching God and the Spike Lee films Inside Man, She Hate Me, and When the Levees Broke.

Parks released his first four albums on Keynote Records between 1999 and 2002. In 2008, he released Invisible Cinema, his debut for Blue Note.[3] Following this he released two albums for ECM, and is currently an artist on Ropeadope Records.

He is a member of the band James Farm with saxophonist Joshua Redman, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland.[1][4] He has toured with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel.[1][5]

Awards and honors

Discography

As leader
Year recorded Year released Title Label Notes
1999 1999 The Promise Keynote Trio, with Evan Flory-Barnes (bass), Eric Peters (drums)
2000 2000 First Romance Keynote Trio, with Larry Holloway and Evan Flory-Barnes (bass; separately), Julian MacDonough and Eric Peters (drums; separately)
2001 2001 The Wizard Keynote Quintet, with Jay Thomas (trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor sax, soprano sax), Tim Green (alto sax), Jeff Johnson and Josh Ginsburg (bass; separately), Obed Calvaire (drums)
2002 2002 Shadows Keynote Some tracks trio, with Matt Brewer (bass), Obed Calvaire (drums); some tracks quartet, with Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet) added
2008 Invisible Cinema Blue Note Quartet, with Mike Moreno (guitar), Matt Penman (bass), Eric Harland (drums)
2011 2013 Arborescence ECM Solo piano
2012 2013 Alive in Japan (Independent) Trio, with Thomas Morgan (bass), RJ Miller (drums); in concert; digital download
2014 Groovements Stunt Trio, with Thomas Fonnesbaek (bass), Karsten Bagge (drums)
2015 2017 Find the Way ECM Trio, with Ben Street (bass), Billy Hart (drums)[7]
2018 2018 Little Big Ropeadope Most tracks quartet, with Greg Tuohey (guitar), David Ginyard (bass), Tommy Crane (drums); some tracks with Eliot Krimsky (keyboards) added
2019 2020 Little Big II: Dreams of a Mechanical Man Ropeadope Quartet, with Greg Tuohey (guitar), David Ginyard, Jr (bass), Tommy Crane (drums, percussion)[8]
2021 2022 Volume One (Independent) Trio, with Matt Brewer (bass), Eric Harland (drums); digital download[9]
2021 2022 Volume Two (Independent) Trio, with Matt Brewer (bass), Eric Harland (drums); digital download[9][10]

Main sources:[11][12]

As member

James Farm
With Joshua Redman, Matt Penman and Eric Harland

  • James Farm (Nonesuch, 2011)
  • City Folk (Nonesuch, 2014)

As sideman

References
  1. Collar, Matt. "Aaron Parks". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. GRAMMY.com Archived 2007-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "CRITICS' CHOICE: NEW CDS; Aaron Parks". New York Times. August 18, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  4. "James Farm". Nonesuch. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  5. "Aaron Parks". Blue Note. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  6. Panken, Ted (July 2016). "25 for the Future / Aaron Parks". DownBeat. Vol. 83, no. 7. Chicago. p. 36. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  7. "Find the Way". ECM Records. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  8. "Little Big II: Dreams of a Mechanical Man | Aaron Parks". Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. "Volume One". Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  10. "Volume Two". Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  11. "Aaron Parks Discography". jazzdisco. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  12. "Aaron Parks". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
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