#andrewmccormack trio at Amiens, FR. With #davewhitford and #enzozirrilli Programme included world premiere of Nelkin Riffs by #benjaminellin (at Les Hortillonnages)
Playing in Bordeaux tonight. I got very excited when I got to the airport, can’t think why! :-P
SmallsLIVE: Aaron Parks
Aaron Parks is one of the most celebrated pianists of his generation. His resumé speaks for itself: still in his twenties, he has performed and recorded with Terence Blanchard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ambrose Akinmusire, Christian Scott, Gretchen Parlato, and the co-led quartet James Farm (with…
Recent interview with one of my favourite pianists, Aaron Parks
I’ve just got back to New York after 3 weeks on tour with Kyle Eastwood in Europe promoting his new album, The View From Here.
Like the last album, I was heavily involved in the writing of the material and it’s been such a pleasure bringing it to so many people. I think the highlight for me was an audience of around 700 at Le Trianon theatre in Paris.
One of the new pieces, Luxor has a solo piano breakdown and although the song has strong echoes of Miles Davis and Marcus Miller, I get a chance to explore the harmonic language in (hopefully) my own way whilst also evoking my romanticised fascination with that city’s ancient civilisation.
Before that I performed alongside the composer as joint soloist in Jason Yarde’s Modo Hit Blow. What an exciting experience performing alongside the players of the LSO at the Barbican! Jason managed to create an engaging orchestral study whilst also allowing enough room for us to do our thing. Judging by the piece’s reception, I think a few of our fans were in the house and maybe even some new ones!
Now I have around two weeks in the city before some more work with Kyle in France then London and my attention is currently turning back to myself with two European concerts coming up for the trio.
My first month-long trips to New York a couple of years ago were to practise and I’m beginning to feel that need again. At the moment I’m starting to hear things a little beyond my technique as well as ideas for new music and time, as I’ve said before in my last post, can be a little evasive in NYC!
Soundcheck at Le Trianon in Paris
Bumped into great Phronesis bassist, Jasper Holby connecting in Copenhagen airport #ontour
Get to catch up on some reading, any other recommendations? #ontour
Rehearsing Jason’s ‘Modo Hit Blow’ with the brass and percussion sections of the LSO ahead of it’s premiere at the Barbican this Saturday!
I don't know where the time has gone....
I’ve only been in NY for around three weeks and it feels like I’ve hardly had a minute to pause and reflect on my time here. Each day and night has been filled with seeing or playing music, meeting all sorts of new people and making time for friends passing through the city. There is so much going on all the time that I’m learning to accept that I simply can’t be everywhere all the time.
One of my first tasks on arrival was to source a decent piano for my apartment in Brooklyn. I managed to find a friendly rental shop near Carnegie Hall on 7th Avenue and now have a brand new Young Chang upright nestled in the corner of my room. However, it seems I’ve barely had a chance to play it so far. In fact any precious moments I’ve had have been working on my part in Jason Yarde’s ‘Modo Hit Blow’ which we premiere as soloists with the LSO Brass and Percussion sections conducted by Francois Xavier Roth at the Barbican next week.
My housemate, Colin Stranahan (who made a stellar appearance with my trio at the Pizza Express in London last month) has been a great connection to the next wave of musicians coming out of NY. He plays a lot with an amazing young pianist I feel privileged to call my friend, Glen Zaleski. (If you’re not familiar with him you soon will be!) I went to a wonderful salon style concert at Glen’s apartment and got to meet a few musicians including the singer/composer Jocelyn Medina who, to my great delight, invited me to guest with her for a few new songs at her birthday gig at the Shapeshifter Lab in Brooklyn last friday.
I think the next steps for me will be to remain visible and vulnerable and allow the musicians and audiences here to become acquainted with what I’m about.
However, I never stop learning and the challenges of this new music scene constantly confronts me with the same question; What am I really capable of and what do I really have to give?
Taken with Instagram