Jeff Parker - The Relatives, Vinyl LP

Jeff Parker is a multi-instrumentalist best known as a member of Tortoise as well as his work with Isotope 217, Fred Anderson, Rob Mazurek, Tricolor, Chicago Underground, Brian Blade Fellowship, Makaya McCraven, Toumani Diabaté, Matana Roberts, and Meshell Ndegeocello In celebration of Thrill Jockeys 25th anniversary Parkers 2005 album The Relatives returns to vinyl for the first time in over a decade. The album features Parker joined by percussionist Chad Taylor, bassist Chris Lopes, and pianist Sam Barsheshet Jeff Parker has been touring constantly over the past year and a half in support of Tortoises new album The Catastrophist (Thrill 406) Parker also released two critically acclaimed albums in 2016 : The New Breed (as band leader) on International Anthem Recording Company and Slight Freedom (solo) on Eremite

Review

Jeff Parker plays jazz like someone raised on dub, hip hop, and experimental music. On The Relatives, Parker s woody tone is refreshingly unprocessed, and his stark, angular lines provide a welcome alternative to the carefully manicured guitar timbres that too often characterize fusion, faux world music, and smooth jazz. --Guitar Player

Parker is a bandleader like few others. The jazz here owes as much to rock and soul as it does to bop or swing, but it isn t really fusion: merely a contemporary version of a classic combo sound. This is straight-up jazz taken out of the museum and calibrated for maximum accessibility. --Pop Matters

Since the 1990s, as a linchpin of Chicago s music scene, Parker has developed his singular voice across a variety of contexts. --Pitchfork