AARON PARKS
IN FIVE SONGS

March 17, 2022 | by Rusty Aceves

Aaron Parks

We can't wait for Aaron Parks to return to SFJAZZ on Sunday to close this week of amazing pianists with a solo performance. To get ready, we revisit this post from 2017 that looks at five different aspects of Parks' superlative career.

The music world, particularly in the areas of classical repertoire and jazz, has never lacked for prodigies. Pianist and composer Aaron Parks, who attended the University of Washington at age 14 with a triple-major in computer science, mathematics, and music and released his debut album at 16, could certainly have qualified for that moniker.

But Parks’ trajectory has been far more mature and rewarding than those of the scores who flash onto the scene behind a blaze of technique and disappear without a trace. He has accumulated an estimable list of awards and accolades including a Cole Porter Fellowship of the American Pianists Association, a Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship, the Presidential Medallion, and a 3rd place finish at the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. After studies with piano great Kenny Barron, Parks began a lengthy association with trumpeter and former SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, appearing on several of his albums as well as Blanchard’s soundtracks to Spike Lee films Inside Man, She Hate Me, and When the Levees Broke. Parks has made memorable marks as a sideman, working with Chrisitian Scott, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dayna Stephens, Gretchen Parlato, Kendrick Scott, Dave Holland, and Ambrose Akinmusire, among others. He is a member of the all-star quartet James Farm with Joshua Redman, Matt Penman, and Eric Harland, and has released a dozen sessions as a leader, including his breakthrough 2008 Blue Note release Invisible Cinema and his solo 2013 ECM Records debut, Arborescence.

We take a look back at highlights from Parks’ impactful career:

1. Aaron Parks: “Peaceful Warrior” from Invisible Cinema (2008)
Parks major label debut was a stunning record on every level, and one of the most aptly titled recordings in recent memory, with the pianist’s talent for crafting deeply evocative soundscapes and instantly memorable melodies on full display. This track is a standout for its organic development from lyrical waltz to intensely driving solo sections and back, with critical contributions from a quartet including guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland.

2. James Farm: “Unknown” from City Folk (2014)
This contribution by Parks to the second James Farm album is built around an open, modal framework, allowing Redman’s soprano to soar freely while bound by the composer’s mile-wide chords. The piece flows from near-chamber sections to mid-tempo backbeat and beyond.

3. Gretchen Parlato: “Weak” from In a Dream (2009)
The closing track from Parlato’s breakout release reimagines the 1992 hit for SWV, turning it into a sexy slow burn kicked off with a slinky 6/4 groove laid down by drummer Kendrick Scott. Parks’ Fender Rhodes piano provides an intimate backdrop for the singer’s breathy approach, countering the lyric in the verses and framing her wordless interludes before launching into a soulful solo that falls between the cracks of Scott’s drumming, anchored by Derrick Hodge’s subterranean bass line.

4. Aaron Parks: “Dreams of a Mechanical Man” from Dreams of a Mechanical Man (2020)
The title track from Parks’ latest Ropeadope release —  the second made with his Little Big ensemble — is an evocative composition marked by tumbling melodies flowing in a disjointed waltz, propelled by drummer Tommy Crane's stacked cymbal textures that subtly convey the idea of troubled dreams of the metallic protagonist in constant motion.

5. Terence Blanchard: “Harvesting Dance” from Flow (2005)
A North African influence comes to the fore on this Parks composition that that closes Blanchard’s GRAMMY-nominated 2005 Blue Note album, employing slippery time signatures, subtly exotic sound effects, and another of Parks’ unforgettable melodies. This tune is marked by breathless tutti sections and inspired solo turns by the leader, guitarist Lionel Loueke, and drummer Kendrick Scott.

Originally posted February 21, 2017