Aaron Parks: ‘By All Means’

There’s something effortless about the new album from pianist Aaron Parks and his intimate ensemble. It takes a lot of work to sound this laid-back and cool.

Starting with A Way, this collection of seven original tracks seems to express much about the complexity of life, with each member of the ensemble working together and separately to provide a soundtrack for today.

Out on 7 November, this the third Blue Note that takes Parks (piano) and his trio of Ben Street (bass) and Billy Hart (drums) into the depths of modern, expressive jazz. This time they become a quartet with the adept addition of Ben Solomon (tenor sax).

Ahead of the release, track two - Parks Lope - was released as a single and it certainly feels like a leisurely stroll around a park. It’s the kind of track that would leave you smiling as you groove around any green space. The beauty of For María José is intensified by a piano solo that includes a barely discernible scat singing from Parks.

The final track is a beautiful ending, coaxing out more background vocals from Parks as he introduces the tune of Raincoat and is joined by the rest of the ensemble. The piano raindrops fade into a beautiful ending to what is a stunning album.

Intricacy and intimacy come together in all seven tunes. It feels like four players coming together to weave their magic around the compositions. Parks says: “I don’t conceive of this as being so utterly distinct from past projects. It’s another book of songs that felt like they were calling for their own context, for a certain group of musicians to bring them to life. This is a record that loves the jazz tradition, the tradition of Black American Music. It’s not about nostalgia or preservation. It’s about being alive within that lineage, that continuum. That’s what the title points to, it’s a big yes, a way of saying ‘absolutely, let’s join that party.’”