FIVE QUESTIONS WITH TERI PARKER

In an exciting move, Toronto jazz pianist Teri Parker will pay tribute to Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981) and Geri Allen (1957-2017) at The Rex for two nights at the end of May. A longtime fan of both artists, Parker was inspired to arrange the concerts after Allen's 2017 passing, to honour her not only for being a distinguished pianist and composer but also a model of artistic integrity and advocate for women in jazz; in fact, it was through Allen that Parker came to the music of Williams, Allen at one time the leader of the Mary Lou Williams Collective, which in 2006 released the tribute album Zodiac Suite: Revisited. Williams herself had played with Duke Ellington's band by the age of thirteen and six years later was leading and writing material for her own groups; she also played with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk and taught at Duke University as part of her appointment as the school's Artist in Residence. Bolstering the concerts' allure, the Rex dates will see Parker debuting a new group, Free Spirits, featuring alto saxophonist Allison Au, trumpeter Rebecca Hennessy, bassist Lauren Falls, and drummer Sarah Thawer.

1. Your new quintet Free Spirits, which features you on piano alongside alto saxophonist Allison Au, trumpeter Rebecca Hennessy, bassist Lauren Falls, and drummer Sarah Thawer, is scheduled to perform a two-night tribute to celebrated pianists Geri Allen and Mary Lou Williams at The Rex in Toronto on May 30th and 31st. Did you form the quintet specifically for this event or did you establish it for purposes that extend beyond this dedication project?

I formed this quintet specifically for this event, but I would like to see the band continue past our two Rex shows. We've had one rehearsal so far, and it was a lot of fun to play with this group of individuals, both musically and socially. The music is fun, exciting, and energetic, and I would love to see it reach a broader audience by playing it at jazz festivals, larger venues, and concert series around the country.

Free Spirits (Teri Parker, Rebecca Hennessy, Lauren Falls, Allison Au, Sarah Thawer)

2. The idea of holding a concert date to honour the music and memory of Geri Allen doesn't altogether surprise, given her recent passing; I was particularly thrilled, however, that you've also chosen to honour Mary Lou Williams, whose name is perhaps less familiar right now despite the fact that she too is an inspirational and important figure in the history of jazz. What inspired you to focus on the music of these two artists for the two-night presentation?

When Geri Allen passed away two years ago I was very sad, as she has been an inspiration for me since I started playing jazz. It was around that time that the idea for this band and event started to form; I wanted to honour her memory with a show performing her music. Mary Lou Williams I discovered a bit later in my jazz studies when I came across her album Free Spirits (hence the band name) and fell in love with her playing. When I started to listen to Mary Lou's music more I realized how much she must have influenced Geri Allen. So there's a lineage of female jazz pianists I thought fit well together for these shows. Both artists have a large repertoire of original music that's not played often and not very well known; these shows are my way to celebrate their life and musical achievements.

3. Are the two Rex shows the only time you'll be performing these tributes or are others scheduled? And are there plans to record the material Free Spirits will be playing at the shows?

As of now we only have the two Rex shows scheduled, but once we collect live video clips (from the shows) I will begin to book this band more tribute shows. My plan is to perform the music live for about a year so we can develop our band sound and firm up arrangements of the songs before we record. We also have a few original songs we'll perform at the Rex that are inspired by Williams and Allen. I would like to see what other new music forms as a result of playing with this group before we make an album. Also, because this music is high-energy and meant to be performed in front of an audience when we do record, I'd like to do a live album.

4. The Teri Parker Quartet, together since 2012 and featuring you, Au, bassist Mark Godfrey, and drummer Mack Longpre, is very much alive and in fact performs the night after the second Rex show at The Jazz Room in Waterloo on June 1st. As the quartet's recent album, the excellent In the Past, was released in late 2017, I'm wondering if there's a new one on its way any time soon and if so whether it perpetuates the sound and style of In the Past or departs from it.

Yes, my quartet is still playing and will be performing at the Jazz Room on June 1st. I have composed new music for the band which we will be playing at that date. The new music is similar in style to the songs on In the Past but continues to grow and evolve. Like the last album, some songs are more ‘lead sheet' style, and some are fully arranged and through-composed. I feature each musician equally, and I aim for a mix of tempos, time-feels, and timbres so the music is varied and interesting throughout the show. As of now, we don't have plans to record a new album, but we will be doing video of the Jazz Room show that will be available online this summer.

The Teri Parker Quartet (Mark Godfrey, Teri Parker, Mack Longpre, Allison Au)

5. What's the status of the other group projects with which you're involved, such as the Radiohead tribute band Idioteque and the Parker Abbott Trio, which you co-lead with pianist Simeon Abbott?

Idioteque has been busy playing shows around Ontario and Quebec this past year, and on July 1st we'll be playing in Toronto for Canada Day celebrations. Also this December the band will be going to Australia and New Zealand to perform shows presented by Metropolis Touring, which we're all very excited about. We continue to add new Radiohead songs to our repertoire, and the equipment list seems to grow every time we play.

Parker Abbott Trio is on hiatus as I have been busy with my quartet, Idioteque, and my new band Free Spirits, and Simeon has been busy playing with Dwayne Gretzky and focusing on his new pop duo, YSSY.

Bonus question: You've studied with world-renowned pianists such as Aaron Goldberg, Sophia Rosoff, Enrico Pieranunzi, and Fred Hersch. What are some of the more valuable things you took away from your experiences studying with them?

website: TERI PARKER

May 2019