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Rick Parker Collective: Finding Space
ByParker is a youngnot yet thirty years oldNew York-based trombonist with some serious chops; but it's his bandleading and composing skills that stand out most. He was a winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award for '04/'05, and those skills shine on Finding Space, an all-original set.
His tunes all tell stories that change pace and switch narrators and twist and turn, rise and fall, change gears and generally keep the listener off balance, sliding from the pastoral to the prickly within the same song, avoiding the predictable at every step. Lots of surprises, lots of fabulously inspired soloing all around, from saxophonist Xavier Perez, keyboardist Sam Barsh and the leader, along with special guests Maurice Brown (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Jaleel Shaw (alto sax).
That said, the group is a "collective." Sometimes there is a classical feel, a cerebral sound coming from the collective gut. The atmosphere reminds me of Grachan Moncur III's sound, mixed in with some Andrew Hillfluid and ever-shifting momentum and abstract beauty that keeps the mainstream in sight.
This is just Parker's second set as a leaderhis first was New York Gravity (Fresh Sound New Talent, '04). On Finding Space he proves himself a major talent on the rise.
Track Listing
McKibbin; Nervous Energy; Lost in the Woodshed; Three Steps From Village A; Gavin's Prelude; Roots; Finding Space; Euro Ring.
Personnel
Rick Parker
tromboneRick Parker: trombone; Xavier Perez: saxophones; Sam Barsh: piano, nord electro; Gavin Fallow: bass; Kyle Struve: drums. Special Guests: Maurice Brown: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jaleel Shaw: trumpet.
Album information
Title: Finding Space | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: WJF Records