Jeff Parker

Lots of talk about Parker on the various jazz and International Anthem-oriented threads, but the guy needs his own thread, if only because the new Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy is absolutely phenomenal. Even after one listen, I think it's the best thing he's ever done. I can't believe people got to witness this music happening live. I also liked the recent Eastside Romp disc, though that one feels a little more low-key by design and doesn't feel like quite as much of a statement as the Eremite release.

YES.

I’d had the promo files for a while (and immediately ordered the 2xCD, which should arrive soon) but this is my record of the year, hands down.

Yeah I got the shipping notice for the 2xCD set the other day, hoping it arrives this weekend. I've heard great things.

I'm surprised by how often I've gone back to Forfolks, it's really tremendous.

I had no idea Jay Bellerose played drums on the new one. He's one of my faves.

Parker is just on fire these days — though maybe he's always on fire? The recent Psychic Temple Plays Planet Caravan is truly awesome: https://schlarb.bandcamp.com/album/plays-planet-caravan

Just saw him live with Makaya McCraven, totally incredible.

Yeah, the new one is reeeeallly good

Pretty perfect hour of music here

https://www.nts.live/shows/guests/episodes/jeff-parker-13th-july-2020

Okay, yeah, this Enfield Tennis Academy release is absolutely phenomenal, exceeded my already sky high expectations.

Has a track on this new Doc Watson comp that looks incredible

https://iamapilgrim.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-a-pilgrim-doc-watson-at-100

Nice, thanks for the heads-up. Also Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, and a Dolly Parton track that's presumably better than anything on her new album.

Thanks indeed---my double gateway of albums, appropriately for one so active and yes probably xpost always on fire, as tylerw speculates above----from Rolling Jazz 2020, with a little more added for annual blog round-up:

The new Jeff Parker,Suite For Max Brown, has instantly taken/held me for more of a first spin than any other album of recent release. No great solos, none needed, when grooves keep forming and flex like this. The most distinctive/least familiar element, to my ears, is the way he uses his Korg (etc.) for a sort of jar-of-lightning-bugs effect at the center, or to the side, or wherever it needs to go. He says he doesn't want to sit down and "fall into writing patterns," but the music is patterned, just enough. Also savor what the drums bring to the mesh, no matter who is playing: McCraven, Jamire Williams, Jay Bellerose, Parker himself. https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/suite-for-max-brown Well I guess I wouldn't mind "great solos" to take it further, but they don't seem nec. here, it ain't about any kind of solos.

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Parker and two who played on his album, Josh Johnson and Rob Mazurek, recently teamed with Chad Taylor for the first new Chicago Underground Quartet set since early 00s. Good Days has a good late night deep focus, cheerful and shaded,tone set by the elusive Alan Shorter's '69 "Orgasm" as opener, extended via dorsal fin sky roll of "Strange Wing," by far the longest track, moving right along like all. Mazrurek's cornet provides submarine lights when needed, Taylor's "solo log drum" piece "Lormé" fits right into the canopy----it's really not nec. late night weedio; my maiden voyage was midday, sober as I'll ever be:

https://astralcuq.bandcamp.com/album/good-days

― dow

Looking fwd to spending more time w/ that new Chi Underground Quartet! So far am liking its sustained mood more than Suite For Max Brown as a whole (although for me Parker's newest one's highs are super-high, for instance I am blown away by "Go Away" and to a slightly lesser extent the earlier track that adds, uh, electronic swirl to the same bass ostinato/groove, "Fusion Swirl")― Cysteine Chapo (Craig D.)

"Go Away" rules

― dip to dup (rob),

This happened and I only found out by accident

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/lados-b

Just leaving this here, since YouTube username Daniel has posted some incredible longform ETA IVtet crowd videos over the past year and a half or so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T9yEgppRYo

Great record. He's having a hell of a year, and is also on this:

https://daveeasley.bandcamp.com/album/ballads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxIZurCfheM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhkvEvUy6qM

This happened and I only found out by accident

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/lados-b

Thanks for sharing!

i wrote the liners for that dave easley record, it is really extraordinary.

Very cool!

This is a recent Wayne Horvitz release that also features Jeff (not sure which track(s) though).

Also this Psychic Temple thing: https://schlarb.bandcamp.com/album/plays-planet-caravan

Finally getting to it---Ennis, anyone? Oh mannnng

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqEFC9I7Slg

that's an Infinite Jest reference, isn't it?

Ya, it's the name of the venue.

here's a bit more (two performances, 44:06 total) from there, 1/2/2023--be ready for some visual detial, mainly audience members on the margin, occasionally wielding phones, but that's prob how we got this, with good sound, good music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T9yEgppRYo

Thanks for that!!!