(New York, NY) - Jazz drumming great Chris Parker and his esteemed trio are proud to announce the release of BLUE PRINT, dedicated to legendary music producer Arif Mardin.  The CD features three never before recorded Arif Mardin compositions and is produced by Arif's son, Joe Mardin.  Of BLUE PRINT, Joe Mardin commented, "With producing this album came the double bonus of the opportunity to work with one of my drumming heroes and the opportunity to try to keep my father's music alive..."  Chris Parker stated, "Although I only worked with Arif a few times in the studio, his influence on me as a musician was beyond compare.  It is an honor and a privilege to have worked with Arif's son, Joe Mardin, on this project and I hope Arif would have approved."

 

In addition to the three never before recorded Arif Mardin tracks (title track "Blue Print," "First Days" and "Ballad"), BLUE PRINT also contains Parker's take on such jazz classics as Ray Charles' "You Be My Baby," Horace Silver's "Filthy McNasty" as well as new compositions.  Grammy award winning trumpeter Randy Brecker also makes several appearances on the album.  The album's liner notes were written by Quincy Jones.  The Chris Parker Trio isChris Parker (drums), Kyoko Oyobe (piano) and Ameen Saleem (bass).  Please see below for the full track listing of BLUE PRINT.

 

In celebration of BLUE PRINT, the Chris Parker trio along with special guest Randy Brecker will perform an exclusive album release show in New York City at DROM on Monday, September 26th.  The evening will also feature the presentation of a new trailer for the Grammy-nominated documentary, "The Greatest Ears In Town: The Arif Mardin Story," which is being re-released.  For tickets and more information, please click here.

 

Born in Chicago, Chris Parker was playing drums at three and began performing his first professional gigs at age eleven.  At nineteen, Parker began recording and touring with blues great Paul Butterfield and then broke into the New York studio scene in 1970 doing records, movie scores and filling the drum chair at Saturday Night Live.  Parker has recorded numerous platinum and gold and Grammy award winning albums with such artists as Bob Dylan, Cher, the original Brecker Brothers, Natalie Cole, Donald Fagen, Ashford And Simpson, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Miles Davis, Patti Labelle, Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett, Jon Secada, Quicy Jones and many, many more.  He continues to record new music and tour the world with his renowned band, the Chris Parker Trio.

 

Chris Parker Trio - BLUE PRINT track listing:

1. Opus de Tophe
2. You Be My Baby
3. Ballad*
4. Filthy McNasty
5. Blue Print*
6. First Days*
7. Counting Sheep
8. Of Two Minds
9. Duomo
10. Choice

*Arif Mardin compositions

 

For more information please visit:

www.chrisparkerdrums.com