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Leon Parker

Leon Parker consistently shows that less is more by making a great deal of music on a greatly reduced drum set sometimes consisting only of a snare drum, bass drum and a cymbal. Parker started playing drums when he was three and became serious when he was around 11. At 15 he playing in a local youth jazz band, and two years later, he started studying classical percussion. After graduating from high school, Parker moved to New York City, taking lessons with Barry Harris and freelancing.

During a regular gig as a leader at Augie's, he began minimizing his drum set, learning to play entire sets using just a cymbal. He made his recording debut with Harvie Swartz, toured with Sheila Jordan and gigged with Kenny Barron. Parker spent 1989 with his wife Lisa (a flutist), playing throughout Spain and Portugal. Back in New York, he became part of the regular band at the Village Gate. The colorful drummer toured and recorded with Dewey Redman, worked with David Sanchez and was part of the Jacky Terrasson Trio in the mid-1990s. Leon Parker has thus far recorded as a leader for Epicure and Columbia, issuing Awakening for the latter in 1998. Source: Scott Yanow

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124
Album Review

M.T.B.: MTB - Consenting Adults

Read "MTB - Consenting Adults" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


One has to wonder why it took over five years for this 1994 recording to make its debut. Certainly the quality is up to Criss Cross standards and the spirit of the session is unquestionably robust. Still, now that Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, and Peter Bernstein (the first letters of their last names gives us M.T.B.) have become more established artists, this peek at an earlier effort is sure to initiate some lively discussion. In the cases of Turner and ...

215
Album Review

Leon Parker: Belief

Read "Belief" reviewed by Wayne Zade


In 1966, the superb drummer Ed Thigpen ("Mr. Taste") stepped out of his role as percussionist of the cohesive and long-lived Oscar Peterson trio to record an album under his own name for Verve, Out of the Storm, a nearly forgotten classic now. Thigpen brought in the youthful Herbie Hancock and the more seasoned Ron Carter and Kenny Burrell to play on the date, a series of linked pieces in the form of a suite.

In 1996, the brilliant young ...

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256

Festival

Programme Jazz Middelheim 2010 Complete with Cassandra Wilson and Archie Shepp Quartet Feat. Roswell Rudd & Leon Parker

Programme Jazz Middelheim 2010 Complete with Cassandra Wilson and Archie Shepp Quartet Feat. Roswell Rudd & Leon Parker

Source: Michael Ricci

This year the 29th edition of Jazz Middelheim takes place from August 12th through August 15th in Park Den Brandt in Antwerp, Belgium. With Cassandra Wilson and the Archie Shepp Quartet with Special Guests Roswell Rudd & Leon Parker the last two names are added to the programme. Toots Thielemans comes to Jazz Middelheim with his Quartet. Earlier the festival announced artists like Wayne Shorter Quartet, Ahmad Jamal, McCoy Tyner Trio feat. Joe Lovano, Dave Holland Flamenco Project for the ...

92

Music Industry

LEON PARKER RETURNS WITH THE SIMPLE LIFE ON AUGUST 21ST

LEON PARKER RETURNS WITH THE SIMPLE LIFE ON AUGUST 21ST

Source: All About Jazz

On August 21, 2001, Label M/PDSE Music Group will release The Simple Life, the first new album in over three years by “rhythmist" Leon Parker. One of the most dynamic percussionists in music today, Parker is often deemed a jazz artist, however his music goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of the genre to incorporate a panoply of multicultural styles and influences. His debut album for Label M reunites the percussion master with producer Joel Dorn, who produced Parker's first ...

130

Music Industry

Label M Signs Percussion Master Leon Parker

Label M Signs Percussion Master Leon Parker

Source: All About Jazz

New York, NY - Label M / PDSE Music Group announce the signing of Leon Parker, one of the most dynamic percussionists in music today. Though often deemed a jazz artist, Parker goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of jazz to incorporate a panoply of styles and influences in his work. His debut album for Label M, scheduled for release in Spring 2001, reunites the percussion master with producer Joel Dorn, who produced Parker's first two records.

“Leon Parker is ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

MTB - Consenting...

Elemental Music
2021

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The Simple Life

Timewarp Music
2001

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Duo

Blue Note Records
1999

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Sam Newsome & Global...

Columbia Records
1999

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Awakening

Timewarp Music
1998

buy

Belief

Columbia Records
1997

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