Leon Parker

Arriving on the New York City jazz scene in the late-‘80s, Leon Parker apprenticed with the likes of Tom Harrell, Dewey Redman and Kenny Barron, before beginning an ongoing series of collaborations with contemporaries such as Charlie Hunter, Danilio Perez, David Sanchez, Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau. In 1994, Parker landed a deal with Epic after Dorn, and his son Adam, caught the young percussionist as part of Jacky Terrasson’s trio. Leon was now given the forum to present the new and evocative ideas he’d been developing. “My history in jazz is that I’ve constantly taken apart instruments and made them my own. At certain points I’d just use a hi-hat or snare, and then maybe just a three-piece kit.