Aaron Parks Brings Back His Band 

This month, vanguard jazz pianist Aaron Parks begins a tour of Europe in support of his second Blue Note LP as bandleader, Little Big III.

Released in October, this is Parks’s third album with his band — featuring guitarist Greg Tuohey, bassist David Ginyard Jr. and drummer Jongkuk Kim — and second title for Blue Note. Here, you can find the quartet working alongside co-producer and current label president Don Was on a collection of performances that elevate the Little Big sound to a new plateau of inspired composition.

“There’s something about this record that feels like it captures the energy of the band in a more raw and honest way,” Parks says.

Rock & Roll Globe caught up with Mr. Parks to ask about the new album before Little Big cross the pond to open their short European tour in Brussels, Belgium on Nov. 15th. See below for the full itinerary.

Little Big III is available on all DSPs and finer record stores in your area.

 

I love how rhythmic this new album is. What is driving that sense of rhythm across this project?

I guess it’s informed by all the various music that we all listen to and love. And I think we wanted to make something that felt good for the body and the heart, not just the mind. In some ways, I think we’ve stripped down things more on this album than on previous ones, and arrived to a place where groove, melody, and mood are paramount.

 

This is your second Blue Note album as a bandleader. How does it feel to be back at this iconic label in that regard?

I feel very grateful to have the chance to record with them again. I’m certainly older and hopefully a bit wiser than I was when I made my first album for them when I was 24, and feel better equipped for the challenges and opportunities of bandleading.

Why did you choose to make your Blue Note return a Little Big album?

To be honest, it was a bit of a tough decision, as there are a number of different projects I’d been working on, and I in fact recorded two albums in 2023 (the other one, an acoustic quartet record, will be released sometime next year I think). Ultimately, it felt like a nice tie-in with the release of the Classic Vinyl edition of Invisible Cinema, worked with our planned touring schedule, and kept some of the momentum we’d been starting to build as a band.

 

What aspects of the Blue Note sound inform the music of Little Big?

Good question! I’d say there could be some Horace Silver in the mix at times, with his clear melodic hooks and punchy rhythms. Medeski Martin and Wood also come to mind as a reference from more recent years. And as improvisers, we’re all deeply influenced by so many of the classic records from the catalog, even if the rhythmic and harmonic language on our new album doesn’t appear to be so closely related at times.

 

How do you feel Little Big has grown as a band in the seven years you’ve been together?

We’ve grown in many ways, and I think we’re definitely still growing. One of the biggest ways we’ve changed: I think I used to treat it as a bit of a construction project, trying to manifest a version of what I was hearing in my head. Now, it’s become more of a garden, where we’re all planting seeds and things are growing in their own way rather than just following my own preconceived ideas.

 

 

VIDEO: Aaron Parks on First Look with Don Was 

What was it like working with Don Was? Were you always a fan of his?

It was an amazing experience. One thing he did as a producer that I thought was pretty brilliant: He set up a headphone station in the room with us, and that’s where he listened as we recorded, not separated behind the glass in an isolated control room. That sense of togetherness was palpable; we could really feel his gentle presence and attentiveness, and I’d say it made a significant difference to the way we all brought ourselves to the music.

 

I love the song “Heart Stories.” What is the story behind it?

Thanks — it’s one of my favorites as well. There’s a deep sense of melancholy and tenderness in this one, and a moment around midway through where things begin to transform, the heart begins to open in more ways that one. That section is one that I “caught” rather than “composed,” an intuitive improvisation that I recorded on Voice Memos, forgot about, and then discovered later and transcribed.

 

What inspired the Joe Zawinul/Weather Report vibes of “Sports”?

A few years ago, we were playing on the “Blue Note at Sea” cruise, and our guitarist Greg was asked to play a solo set. He hadn’t done that kind of thing before but loved the challenge of the new context. In preparing for that, he came up with this idea of a looped bassline that he could play on top of, and then the catchy melody took shape on top of it. I love this tune, it’s so simple and joyous, and also so wide open for exploration.

 

Are there any rock entities that inspire the Little Big sound? I’d love to hear who informs the band beyond jazz. I love “Delusions,” by the way.

Oh, definitely. Where to begin? Probably Radiohead is the most obvious, as they were one of the first rock bands I ever got into, and their influence on me is embedded deep into my musical DNA. Let me list some others: Talk Talk, Led Zeppelin, Grizzly Bear, Deerhoof, Big Thief, Blonde Redhead, Björk, The Flaming Lips, Tom Petty, the list goes on and on.

 

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You’ve been on some pretty cool albums on Blue Note as a sideman these last 20 years or so. What are a couple of your favorite memories of recording with Terence Blanchard or Derrick Hodge or Joshua Redman?

I’ll talk about the album where are we with Joshua Redman, as it’s the most recent and the one I have the most clear memories of. We went down to New Orleans to record this one, and it was such a special experience to play with that band. I could just comp with Joe Sanders and Brian Blade all day and be happy, no need for soloing.

 

What’s the plan for 2025? Will Little Big be going on tour in the United States or do you have some studio time booked? Would love to hear what’s on the horizon!

We are certainly planning on some substantial touring in 2025, if all goes well. Conditions on the road aren’t the easiest for musicians right now, especially in the U.S., but we definitely want to bring this music to as many folks who might dig it as possible.

 

AARON PARKS – TOUR DATES:

Oct. 5 – Hitomi Memorial Hall – Setagaya, Japan

Nov. 15 – Bozar – Brussels, Belgium

Nov. 16 – Alter Schlachthof – Eupen, Belgium

Nov. 17 – Musig Im Pflegidach – Muri, Switzerland

Nov. 19 – Kultur Worx – Kreuzlingen, Switzerland

Nov. 20 – Świdnickie Noce Jazzowe – Świdnica, Poland

Nov. 21 – Blue Note – Poznan, Poland

Nov. 22 – Jassmine – Warsaw, Poland

Nov. 23 – 40 Głogowskie Spotkania Jazzowe – Glogów, Poland

Nov. 24 – Jazz Club Pod Filarami – Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland

Nov. 26 – Casino – Wittlich, Germany

Nov. 27 – Theaterhaus Jazzstage – Stuttgart, Germany

Nov. 28 – Stadtgarten – Germany, Köln

Nov. 29 – Jazz Dock – Prague, Czech Republic

Nov. 30 – Il Torrione – Ferrara, Italy

Dec. 2 – Jazz Café – London, UK

 

Visit aaronparks.com for tour info.