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At what point did jazz go from being the most dangerous, out-there music on earth to its current state? It’s been relegated to smoke-free supper clubs, elevators and museum openings. How did Wynton Marsalis and Kenny G become the torch-bearers for men like Art Blakey, Miles Davis and Eric Dolphy?
Thankfully, the spirit of jazz isn’t dead and Jeff Parker is one of the men trying to keep it alive. Parker, notorious for his guitar work with post-rock progenitors Tortoise, spoke with me about his jazz education. “I got kind of frustrated with jazz in college and that’s a big reason why I moved to Chicago and why I started playing with musicians who were doing something else. I feel like what they’re teaching in schools is not in touch with the origins, history or spirit of jazz. A lot of musicians, in dealing with the discipline, put on a pair of blinders and miss the whole point, you know?”
Parker just released a superb album under his own name called “The Relatives” in which he leads a quartet through a set of original compositions. It’s a throwback to the sound of all the greats from his father’s record collection, which influenced him as a child. After listening to his work in Tortoise, it’s great to hear his playing on such a traditional hard bop record. His reasoning, “I’m just trying to work on myself as a musician; trying to become a better composer. I’m trying to disrupt my comfort zone with music, you know. Shake the tree a bit and maybe something new will fall down.” With Parker’s attitude, I’m sure there’s much more fruitful music to come.
Jeff Parker’s CD “The Relatives” is out now on Thrill Jockey Records.
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