GenresJazz NameAaron Parks Occupation(s)Musician RoleJazz Pianist
InstrumentsPiano Music groupJames Farm LabelsBlue Note Records
BornOctober 7, 1983 (age 32) (1983-10-07) OriginSeattle, Washington, U.S. Associated actsJames Farm, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Terence Blanchard, Mike Moreno EducationManhattan School of Music, University of Washington AlbumsInvisible Cinema, Arborescence, Alive in Japan, Prelude: to Cora, Stockholm Syndrome
Gretchen parlato alan hampton aaron parks mark guiliana live at lotos jazz festival 2013
Aaron Parks (born October 7, 1983, in Seattle, Washington) is a jazz pianist.
Eric harland trio blues with aaron parks joe martin jazzheaven com jazz drumming video
Personal life
Parks studied at the University of Washington at the age of 14 through the Transition 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 the Manhattan School of Music. During his final year he began touring with Terence Blanchard's band, recording three albums with him for Blue Note Records, including the Grammy-winning A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Parks has also toured with Kurt Rosenwinkel and has recorded for Blue Note Records. He is a member of James Farm, a quartet featuring saxophonist Joshua Redman, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland.
Parks can be heard on the soundtracks to Their Eyes Were Watching God and Spike Lee films including Inside Man, She Hate Me, and When the Levees Broke.
Awards
Jas Hennessy Piano Solo Competition at Montreux (Third Place)
Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association (First Place)
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition (Third Place)
As leader
The Promise (1999)
First Romance (2000)
The Wizard (2001)
Shadows (2002)
Invisible Cinema (2008, Blue Note Records)
Alive in Japan (2013)
Arborescence (2013, ECM)
Find the Way (2017, ECM)
As sideman
Bounce (2003) - Terence Blanchard
Flow (2005) - Terence Blanchard
On My Way Back Home (2005) - Daisuke Abe
Ebb and Flow (2005) - Andrew Neff
Short Songs (EP) (2006) - Amanda Baisinger
Casually Introducing Walter Smith III (2006) - Walter Smith III
Lucid Dream (2006) - Patrick Cornelius
A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (2007) - Terence Blanchard
Night Songs (2007) - Ferenc Nemeth
Between the Lines (2007) - Mike Moreno
The Source (2007) - Kendrick Scott
Anthem (2007) - Christian Scott
Catch of the Day (2008) - Matt Penman
Prelude... to Cora (2008) - Ambrose Akinmusire
Promises (2008) - Will Vinson
Triptych (2008) - Justin Vasquez
Dear Someone"' (2009) - Anders Christensen
In A Dream (2009) - Gretchen Parlato
Stockholm Syndrome (2010) - Will Vinson
First In Mind (2011) - Mike Moreno
Dreams Come True (2011) - CANT
Unison (2012) - Maria Neckam
Star of Jupiter (2012) - Kurt Rosenwinkel
Today is Tomorrow (2012) - Dayna Stephens
Secret Love (2012) - Sara Leib
Lua ya (ECM, 2013) - Yeahwon Shin
Foolhardy (2013) - Lage Lund
Live at Smalls (2013) - Will Vinson
Metamorepho (2013) - Matteo Sabattini
Reminiscent (2015) - Dayna Stephens
Wood (2016) - Francesco Ciniglio
A Door (2016) - Joonsam
The Unquiet Sky (2016) - Albert Vila
Collaborations
James Farm (2011) - with Joshua Redman, Matt Penman, Eric Harland
City Folk (2014) - with Joshua Redman, Matt Penman, Eric Harland
Duets in June (2015) - with Thomas Maintz
Storytelling (2015) - with Christian Vuust
Diwan of Beauty and Odd (2016) - with Dhafer Youssef