Aaron Parks (born October 7, 1983) is an Americanjazz pianist.
Aaron Parks | |
|---|---|
 Aaron Parks plays a duo concert withAdam Baldych in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2014. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1983-10-07)October 7, 1983 (age 41) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Blue Note,Nonesuch,ECM,Ropeadope |
| Website | aaronparks |
Career
editA native of Seattle, Parks studied at theUniversity of Washington at the age of 14[1] through theTransition 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 theManhattan School of Music. At Manhattan one of his teachers wasKenny Barron.[1] During his final year, he began touring withTerence Blanchard's band, recording three albums with them forBlue Note, including the Grammy-winningA Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina).[1][2] Parks can be heard on the soundtracks:Their Eyes Were Watching God and theSpike Lee and films:Inside Man,She Hate Me, andWhen the Levees Broke.
Parks released his first four albums on Keynote Records between 1999 and 2002. In 2008, he releasedInvisible Cinema, his debut forBlue Note.[3] Following this, he released two albums forECM, and is currently an artist onRopeadope Records.
He is a member of the band James Farm with saxophonistJoshua Redman, bassist Matt Penman, and drummerEric Harland.[1][4] He has toured with guitaristKurt Rosenwinkel.[1][5]
Awards and honors
edit- 2001: Cole Porter Fellow of theAmerican Piano Awards[1]
- 2006:Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition (third place)
- Jas Hennessy Piano Solo Competition at Montreux (third place)
- 2016:DownBeat magazine: “25 for the Future”[6]
Discography
editAs leader
edit| 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, withAmbrose Akinmusire (trumpet) added |
| 2008 | 2008 | Invisible Cinema | Blue Note | Quartet, withMike Moreno (guitar), Matt Penman (bass), Eric Harland (drums) |
| 2011 | 2013 | Arborescence | ECM | Solo piano |
| 2012 | 2013 | Alive in Japan | (Independent) | Trio, withThomas Morgan (bass), RJ Miller (drums); in concert; digital download |
| 2014 | 2016 | Groovements | Stunt | Trio, with Thomas Fonnesbaek (bass), Karsten Bagge (drums) |
| 2015 | 2017 | Find the Way | ECM | Trio, withBen 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] |
| 2023 | 2023 | Live in Berlin | (Independent) | Quartet, with Greg Tuohey (guitar), David Ginyard, Jr (bass), Jongkuk Kim (drums); digital download |
| 2024 | 2024 | Little Big III | Blue Note | Quartet, with Greg Tuohey (guitar), David Ginyard (bass), Jongkuk Kim (drums) |
As member
editJames Farm
WithJoshua Redman, Matt Penman andEric Harland
- James Farm (Nonesuch, 2011)
- City Folk (Nonesuch, 2014)
As sideman
edit
WithMike Moreno
WithChristian Scott
WithDayna Stephens
| With others
|
References
edit- ^abcdefCollar, Matt."Aaron Parks".AllMusic. Retrieved29 September 2018.
- ^GRAMMY.comArchived 2007-12-08 at theWayback Machine
- ^"CRITICS' CHOICE: NEW CDS; Aaron Parks".New York Times. August 18, 2008. RetrievedSeptember 12, 2020.
- ^"James Farm". Nonesuch. 4 March 2011. Retrieved29 July 2013.
- ^"Aaron Parks". Blue Note. Retrieved29 July 2013.
- ^Panken, Ted (July 2016)."25 for the Future / Aaron Parks".DownBeat. Vol. 83, no. 7. Chicago. p. 36. Retrieved2020-03-06.
- ^"Find the Way".ECM Records. RetrievedMarch 18, 2023.
- ^"Little Big II: Dreams of a Mechanical Man | Aaron Parks".Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. RetrievedMarch 18, 2023.
- ^ab"Volume One".Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. RetrievedMarch 18, 2023.
- ^"Volume Two".Aaronparksmusic.bandcamp.com. RetrievedMarch 18, 2023.
- ^"Aaron Parks Discography".jazzdisco. RetrievedMarch 18, 2023.
- ^"Aaron Parks".AllMusic. RetrievedSeptember 29, 2018.