Pure Mellow Jazz

From Aaron Goldberg's "At The Edge of The World" (11/16) on Sunnyside Records.

For the past two decades pianist Aaron Goldberg has crisscrossed the globe, spreading his music and absorbing local knowledge along the way.  True to the jazz mentality, he learned to embrace serendipity as an artistic muse.  Five years ago this month, in an historic chateau at the exact geographic center of France, Goldberg was reunited with an early influence.  Soon a new project began to take shape.  Goldberg’s latest recording, At The Edge of The World, documents this recent collaboration with drummer and percussionist Leon Parker, a brilliant innovator and performer, in a new trio along with the gifted bassist Matt Penman. 

While studying at the New School in the early 1990’s Goldberg was introduced to Parker’s singular playing alongside keyboard icons including Kenny Barron, Brad Mehldau and Jacky Terrasson. Parker was a trailblazer on the kit, intent on developing a distinct language and sound all his own. Goldberg went on to attend Harvard but would return in the summers to the City to make sessions with both innovative peers and big city legends, including a multiyear musical mentorship from Betty Carter and a memorable gig with Parker in 1992.

In the decade after his return to NYC in 1996, Goldberg made a name for himself in the bands of Joshua Redman, Al Foster, Wynton Marsalis and Kurt Rosenwinkel, all while developing his own highly regarded trio with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland. Parker, on the other hand, left New York on September 10 2001 for France, where he stopped playing drum set and nearly disappeared from the jazz world altogether. 

Over a decade later Goldberg found himself in France without a drummer and was curious to see if Parker would be interested in playing again. Leon still remembered him well after 20 years, and without any rehearsal the gig became an unexpected triumph as the two experienced an instant musical reconnection.  It wasn’t long before Parker expressed his interest in continuing their pairing on a more permanent basis, not as a sub but rather a full-fledged member of Goldberg’s band. Parker had found a musical outlet that he hadn’t fully known that he needed, and soon he was eager to get back into the scene.

By the fall of 2015 the duo was dialed in to tour but there were still significant logistical and financial hurdles to overcome.  So Aaron applied for a French-American Jazz Exchange Grant to support this new trio project. Fortunately both the French and American governments were smiling down on them from above, and the duo received both the FAJE grant and a new passport for Parker just in time for the first gig of their tour. The grant also provided enough resources to partially fund two recording sessions: one became Goldberg’s At The Edge of the World, and another led to a co-produced Leon Parker album.  Together these developments allowed for the re-ignition of Parker’s musical career, and he dove back into playing upon his return to NYC.

Goldberg’s longstanding appreciation for the drummer’s highly conversational style continued to grow as they had ever more fun on the bandstand with each tour. The joy in their shared swing and united groove was infectious and their interaction organic. Night by night Parker began to incorporate more of his singular vocal percussion as well as EmbodiRhythm, his personal body percussion techniques, into the music.  The collaboration evolved from an exploratory project into a partnership.

At The Edge Of The World

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