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Aaron Parks: Little Big
by Mike Jurkovic
Pianist/composer Aaron Parks' recording career began when, at the impressionable age of eighteen, he signed on with Terrence Blanchard and recorded several noted albums with the trumpeter, most notably the soundtrack to Spike Lee's Invisible Man and Blanchard's own, Grammy winning A Tale of God's Will (Requiem for Katrina (Blue Note, 2007). In the creative interim there have been other recording ventures, including his highly regarded Blue Note Records debut, Invisible Cinema (2008), and his elemental solo excursion on ECM, ...
Continue ReadingAaron Parks: Little Big
by Glenn Astarita
The press release for highly praised keyboard/composer Aaron Parks's (Kurt Rosenwinke, Terence Blanchard) latest album states: “after experimenting with various lineups and sessions, Parks landed on three musicians ideally suited for this atmospheric, genre-bending new work." And after listening to this inspiring session it's easy to discern why Parks needed time and a bit of prudence to fulfil his personalized mission of original genre-hopping compositions, that gel to a synergistic group-focused vibe. Here, it seems that the artist has reached ...
Continue ReadingAaron Parks: Little Big
by Friedrich Kunzmann
After an absence from activity as a leader, pianist and composer, Aaron Parks reemerged in 2017 with a new trio formation, releasing the highly acclaimed Find The Way (ECM), which carried on the unique harmonic language found four years prior, on the solo Arborescence (ECM, 2013). Today's Little Big, however, comes much more in the vein of his major label debut, Invisible Cinema (Blue Note 2008). The modern approach of an electric band, slower harmonic progressions and more immediate melodic ...
Continue ReadingAaron Parks: Rising To The Challenge
by R.J. DeLuke
"I'm always trying to put myself into scenarios with people who play in a way that challenges me and gives me a chance to grow," says pianist Aaron Parks, who has carved an impressive career in jazz since going to New York City early in the new century and eventually garnering a major gig with trumpeter Terence Blanchard's band. The group's he's played in are nothing but challenging, as he serves music made by people like Kurt Rosenwinkel ...
Continue ReadingAaron Parks/Ben Street/Billy Hart: Find the Way
by Karl Ackermann
Find the Way is pianist Aaron Parks' eighth release as a leader and second on the ECM label. The prolific artist has appeared as a sideman on thirty-eight albums dating back to 2003, working frequently with Terence Blanchard, recording with Joshua Redman and Kurt Rosenwinkel and many other top names in jazz. At the age of fourteen, Parks was studying music and computer science at the University of Washington and has gone on to win multiple awards including sharing a ...
Continue ReadingThomas Maintz, Aaron Parks: Duets in June
by Angelo Leonardi
L'ascolto di quest'album porta alla memoria la collaborazione tra Bill Evans e Jim Hall che produsse nel 1962 il magistrale Undercurrent e quattro anni dopo Intermodulation. Da allora è trascorso mezzo secolo, Thomas Maintz e Aaron Parks hanno distinte personalità ed escludendo la formula strumentale, non ci sono somiglianze stilistiche, né di repertorio: gli unici aspetti che sollecitano l'associazione riguardano la purezza espressiva, l'intensità dell'interplay, la sottigliezza cameristica dei percorsi e il lirismo che pervade tutti i brani. ...
Continue ReadingAaron Parks Group and Joel Ross at the SOUTH Jazz Kitchen
by Asher Wolf
Aaron Parks Group SOUTH Jazz Kitchen Philadelphia, PA May 4, 2016 I apologize in advance if the following descriptions come off as grandiose. But regarding the Aaron Parks Group, anything that doesn't walk the line of hyperbole feels like an undersell. They were one of the most exciting acts I've had the pleasure of witnessing, and I don't mean interesting or hope inspiring, but rather the type of excitement you feel after injecting ...
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