Peaks and Valleys
Peaks and Valleys is about as refreshing, moving and ingenious as a tribute can be. Playing two pieces each from the expansive works of Geri Allen and Mary Lou Williams, Toronto pianist Teri Parker’s group makes the absolute most of them, with these renditions being sobering in their clarity and the care taken in bringing out every nuance of the original recordings, while feeling like something entirely new is constantly taking place.
Yoshi Maclear Wall - the Whole Note
The sophistication of Parker's writing is apparent in the title suite, which she conceived as a song cycle about life's challenges and to honour women who've inspired her, from her mother Joanne to Allen, Williams, and Margaret Atwood. The Allen-inspired “Gemini II” begins the suite with an uplifting overture, after which the pace slows for the meditative mood setting “Survival.” Though its title references an early Atwood work, the piece was, in fact, inspired by the author's visionary MaddAddam trilogy and is distinguished by spoken word text Parker describes as "a letter to the children of the future.” The pianist delivers the text thoughtfully (“Dear children, what will you do when the honeybees have taken their leave? …”) and, despite the calamitous state of the world it describes, with sensitivity and a hint of hope. The mood brightens with the onset of the Williams-inspired “Giantess,” which is given an interesting wrinkle when its boogie-woogie swing's executed in 7/4 and features Young augmenting her horn with a rousing vocal to honour the piano legend. Speaking of affection, “Bear Hug,” Parker's piece for her mother, vividly conveys it in the warmth of its ballad statement. Crafted to honour women working to achieve balance and meaning in their ever-challenging lives, “Perseverance” takes the suite out with a euphoric affirmation.
Ron Schepper - Textura
A sensitive player and writer, the former student of Fred Hersch and Enrico Pieranunzi already has two strong albums under her belt: 2017’s In the Past (a collection of pieces written mostly during her time in New York) and 2023’s Shaping the Invisible.
Félix-Antoine Hamel – Ma Scena
I love the concept of connecting Geri Allen with ML Williams, which of course, Geri did on her own, and finding one artist savvy enough to explore that bridge is a delight.
Neil Tesser – Jazz Across America, KSDS-FM
Their opening tune begins with Teri Parker setting the mood on piano. Lauren Falls adds her warm upright bass to the mix. “Unconditional Love” is a composition by Geri Allen and it’s quite beautiful. When Rebecca Hennessy joins the players on her sensuous trumpet, the mood is established. The arrangement grows with the addition of horn harmonics (two saxes and a trumpet). The lilting drums of Mackenzie Longpre push the music along like a brisk Autumn breeze, enhanced by Parker’s very rhythmic piano. Longpre’s drums begin the next Geri Allen tune titled appropriately “Drummer’s Song.” The repetitive piano line, repeated by a saxophone, creates an ostinato for the drums to dance upon.
Dee Dee McNeil – Making a Scene
The excellent pieces by Allen (Unconditional Love and Drummer’s Song) and Williams (Gloria and Rosa Mae, a first vocal release of this piece) are finely drawn by Parker’s ensemble, without too abrupt sonic explorations, respecting the popular and stylish nature of these great artists. Parker’s suite (Peaks and Valleys) is in the same vein, that of melodic, straightforward jazz, tinged here with blues and elsewhere with pop, and favoring simple but enthusiastic interventions by the musical partners. A few tracks stand out, such as Survival, a spoken word on a bed of sparkling piano drops. Very pretty indeed.
Frédéric Cardin – Pan M 360
the team shows it can get down with the blues as Au and Hennessy belt it out on the latter’s “Rosa Ma” while the two get soft and pastoral with the leader on Allen’s muted “Unconditional Love”. Young taps into her inner Maceo Parker as she gets funky with Longpre on “Gemini II” and is equally melancholic around Hennessy’s soft brass of the lyrical “Gemini II”. The leader is in rich stride on the full fisted shuffle of “Giantess” and gives pretty ripples on a pastoral “Bear Hug”
George W. Harris – Jazz Weekly
Shaping the Invisible
Shaping The Invisible takes things, compositionally, to the next level. Her tunes are frequently off-kilter, odd. It is not clear who she listened to in her creation room, but with "Becoming"—named for Michelle Obama's memoir—the incomparable pianist Andrew Hill's approach seems to bubble up. Like Hill's writing, "Becoming" is compelling in its own unconventional way, the "unconventionality" of it making it all the more riveting, opening in a dreamy mode before shifting into an insistent straight eighths groove. ★★★★
Dan McClenaghan – All About Jazz
Parker's ventured far and wide, to New York and Europe among other places, but her roots are solidly in Toronto. It's where she attended school—U of T and York University—and where she operates her Annex Academy of Music, located, naturally, in the city's Annex neighbourhood and boasting thirteen instructors and 300-plus students. The generosity of spirit exemplified by that large-scale project finds another outlet in the performances captured on her new release. That earlier-noted sense of connection might also, incidentally, be accounted for by the exceptional calibre of the musicians involved: players so skilled, experienced, and quick on their feet can assemble for the first time and still come across like an outfit of long-standing. These five show throughout her fine release they're eminently capable of, as per the album title, shaping the invisible and giving form to Parker's vision.
Ron Schepper – Textura
The album as a whole gives a good insight into the high level of the Canadian jazz scene.
Fortunately, the world is big and full of good music.
Jørgen Nielsen – Jazz Special (Denmark)
Her originals sparkle with creativity, complexity and unerring nerve, verve and taste.
Mike Greenblatt – Goldmine Magazine
Here is a truly magnificent album… Teri succeeds in her endeavor, giving her best not only in terms of musical composition but also in her piano performance. This album exudes inspiration, sensuality, and the desire to nourish the minds of those capable of grasping her work.
Thierry de Clemensat – Paris Move
An enthralling, adventurous studio recording of jazz-club-tested music, Shaping the Invisible is a treat for connoisseurs of modern-day jazz, highly recommended.
Midwest Book Review
Kitchen Timer Tune uses a compositional exercise by pianist Fred Hersch where the composer sets a kitchen timer for 45 minutes and writes as much as possible within the allotted time frame. The song begins with an impressive extended bass introduction by Godfrey and McAnsh really shines on this track.
David Reed – Belleville Intelligencer
In the Past
"The line-up is the standard rhythm section and a saxophone out front ensemble, engaged in presenting a dozen of Parker's well-crafted, always engagements compositions. Several spins of the disc leaves the impression of Teri Parker as a gifted melodist… The set closes with its loveliest composition, "Saturn"—the most beautiful of celestial bodies inspiring a beautiful modern jazz sound." ★★★★☆
Dan McClenaghan – All About Jazz
"Art without being artsy, this is a first call listening date, particularly for people in need of gorgeous playing that will simply take them away. Solidly played throughout, this is how they keep things hot in Toronto over the winter."
Chris Spector – The Midwest Record
"The Teri Parker Quartet created a highly dynamic and varied evening of well-written originals and standards on Saturday, giving them an attentive and powerful performance. I appreciated seeing a group with such a capable all-woman front line – particularly two musicians like Parker and Au who were so well-attuned to each others' style of playing. We were glad we made a point of hearing this show and songs on In the Past."
Alayne McGregor – Ottawa Jazz Scene
"On her debut album, Teri Parker offers a fresh and consistently rewarding take on the jazz piano quartet tradition… As a composer, Parker is much like she is as a player: poised, circumspect, and methodical. Whether supporting another or soloing herself, the pianist approaches her playing with deliberation, each note meaningful and each gesture related to the whole… This is an album that's not only thoroughly satisfying and marked by variety and surprise; it's also one long in the making. Laid down over two days in July 2016, In The Past was recorded four years after the band formed, an extended period that suggests the group had ample opportunity to woodshed the tunes before entering the studio. It's also, not incidentally, an album of which Parker can be deservedly proud."
Ron Schepper – textura.org
"Parker lays down elusive melodies that sometimes appear as serialistic gentle meanders, sometimes appear as jagged fits and starts. This is music one feels as well as hears… . I really like "On the Farm" a bluesy and thoughtful tune that set me to thinking of Billy Strayhorn. Don't ask me why. Parker's playing on the solo is just so comforting and reassuring. "
Hobart Taylor – KUCI
"Refreshing and playful… "
Marty Delia – The Jazz Music Blog
"The latest from Teri Parker is a nice laid-back piano session… all these tracks, regardless of the era they belong to, stick to a demeanor well suited to lazy Sunday afternoons when a peacefulness abides and a spark of life can resonate like mad. "
Dave Sumner – Bird Is The Worm
"Teri Parker may be a pianist, but it is clear from the music of In the Past that she is first and foremost a composer with a distinctive voice…. Miss Parker is never far behind on her subtle forays into the thick of solo action. But she may be easy to miss sometimes. Her solos are not vehicles for hair-raising virtuosity, but every phrase she plays is a work of eloquence, placing its emphasis on intimate dialogue between herself and the rest of the quartet. Everywhere she shows her wonderful tonal control and rhythmic flexibility, which is how her soli come to reveal itself as a profoundly beautiful and irresistible reading of music. And that goes for each and every piece on this recording."
Raul da Gama – Toronto Music Report