Aaron Parks

“Somebody once asked me to find two words that describe the music I make, and the words I picked were ‘spontaneous’ and ‘cinematic,’” says Aaron Parks. Having clarified the essence of his art, the pianist kept those two words closely in mind while conceiving and recording Invisible Cinema, his extraordinary debut for the Blue Note label. In its virtuosity and harmonic complexity, the album speaks to Parks’s immersion in jazz on the highest level, even as it references a wider world of contemporary music-making.

Parks came to the attention of Blue Note during his five-year tenure with Terence Blanchard, during which he appeared on three of the trumpeter’s acclaimed Blue Note albums: Bounce, Flow and A Tale of God’s Will. Parks is now delighted to follow the example of another Blanchard alumna, Lionel Loueke, who debuted on Blue Note in March 2008. “I’m thrilled to be a part not only of the classic Blue Note legacy, but also the new legacy, which includes Terence, Lionel, Robert Glasper, Jason Moran, Cassandra Wilson and so many great artists,” Parks enthuses.

With his technically involved yet boundlessly melodic and sensitive playing, and with the sense of colour and imagination he conveys in every musical situation, Parks is setting a new standard for jazz piano expression. In the time since his stint with Terence Blanchard, he has toured the world as a member of Rosenwinkel’s quintet. Now his Blue Note release sends him off and running on a solo career that is sure to awe listeners for years to come.

Lineup

Aaron Parks piano
Matt Brewer bass
Tommy Crane drums