Jazz Articles about Jeff Parker

About Jeff Parker

Album Review

Jeff Parker / Eric Revis / Nasheet Waits: Eastside Romp

Read "Eastside Romp" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
May 7, 2023

Though best known as an experimental guitarist in the likes of Tortoise, Isotope 217 and the Chicago Underground Trio, on Eastside Romp Jeff Parker hews closer to his jazz roots in a co-operative trio completed by bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. Each a leader, Parker's bandmates possess similarly expansive resumés, making their somewhat introspective group focus here a surprise. On a program of five originals from across the band, one cover and one improv, they combine in the ...

Album Review

Billy Valentine: Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth

Read "Billy Valentine And The Universal Truth" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
April 24, 2023

Dopo quarant'anni d'assenza dal mercato, l'etichetta Flying Dutchman torna con una produzione intensa e avvincente, che ci riporta ai suoi anni migliori. Protagonista è Billy Valentine, soul singer degli anni settanta tornato alla ribalta cinque anni fa (col sorprendente quanto ignorato Brit Eyed Soul) e qui accompagnato da formazioni che includono Jeff Parker, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Pino Palladino, Theo Croker, Larry Goldings, Linda May Han Oh, e altri nomi di primo piano. Bob ...

Album Review

Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra: Lightning Dreamers

Read "Lightning Dreamers" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
March 4, 2023

The similarities between Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra and Sun Ra's Arkestra are numerous. Both leaders travel the spaceways via the technologies available in their time, applied through dynamic rhythm and pulse. For Ra, his sound began when he was an apprentice in Fletcher Henderson's band in the 1940s, and Mazurek's 1990s work revolved around Isotope 217 and the various Chicago Underground (and later São Paulo Underground) ensembles. Both bandleaders were composers of their time, nonetheless they always create music ...

Album Review

Henry Franklin: Jazz Is Dead 14

Read "Jazz Is Dead 14" reviewed by Chris May

by Chris May
September 25, 2022

Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad's Jazz Is Dead label is a moveable feast when it comes to consistency. In its fourteen albums date, there have been some great ones, some not so great ones and a couple of duds. With bassist Henry Franklin, however, the label has come up with a blinder, its most satisfying disc to date. Los Angeles-based Franklin is not well known beyond musician circles, but his track record is distinguished. He has released ...

Album Review

Jeff Parker / Eric Revis / Nasheet Waits: Eastside Romp

Read "Eastside Romp" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
September 16, 2022

If the answer on the television quiz show Jeopardy is: “Have not ever recorded together as a trio," you most probably would have never guessed the question, “What have Jeff Parker, Eric Revis, and Nasheet Waits never done?" Well, that is until now. Each musician has an impressive discography, with nearly 500 sessions in total between them. Just not together. Waits' drums and Revis' bass have graced the music of Orrin Evans and Armen Nalbandian's ensembles and also ...

Album Review

JoVia Armstrong: The Antidote Suite

Read "The Antidote Suite" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
September 9, 2022

La scena musicale di Chicago regala continue sorprese. Protagoniste di questo lavoro sono la percussionista e compositrice JoVia Armstrong e la violinista Leslie DeShazor, riunite nell'Eunoia Society. Accanto a loro un nutrito gruppo di ospiti, tra cui i celebri Jeff Parker e Nicole Mitchell. The Antidote Suite è pubblicato dalla nuova etichetta della flautista e non è casuale: la Armstrong è infatti un nuovo membro dell'AACM ed è fortemente impegnata nella valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale afroamericano. JoVia è ...

Album Review

Jeff Parker: Forfolks

Read "Forfolks" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
January 29, 2022

Guitarist/composer Jeff Parker is closely associated with indie group Tortoise and Rob Mazurek's Chicago Underground and Exploding Star Orchestra projects, but the scope of his work is extensive. The Bridgeport, Connecticut native has worked in numerous genres and technologies, and with a varied range of artists including, Joshua Redman, Nicole Mitchell, Yo La Tengo, Matana Roberts, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Nels Cline, George Lewis and Fred Anderson. Parker has recorded eight albums as a leader but with the release of Suite ...