Jazz pianist Aaron Parks reunites with his acclaimed band Little Big for Little Big III, a vibrant and focused album that marks his return to Blue Note Records and showcases the band's deep, intuitive musical connection.
Pianist and composer Aaron Parks returns to Blue Note Records with a winning stride, reuniting with his acclaimed band Little Big for their third studio album, Little Big III. Known for their influential 2008 release Invisible Cinema, Parks and his bandmates - guitarist Greg Tuohey, bassist David Ginyard Jr., and drummer Jongkuk Kim - deliver a masterful blend of modern, post-genre improvised music.
Co-produced by Parks and Blue Note head Don Was, Little Big III resonates with a vibrant, empathetic energy, showcasing concise compositions that reveal a deeply intuitive musical dialogue among its members. “There’s something about this record that feels like it captures the energy of the band in a more raw and honest way,” Parks explains.
For Parks, the creative process behind the album marked a shift towards openness and collaboration, allowing the music to unfold naturally. "It was an exercise in letting the band itself start to show me what it sounded like, rather than me trying to control it all the time," he says. This approach, he explains, was guided by a newfound sense of acceptance and humility, shaped by his roles as a family man and his personal journey towards wellness and mental health. Now at 40, Parks embraces a lighter touch in his music-making, noting, “I’m able to take the music itself more seriously, because I’m taking myself a little less seriously.”
Throughout Little Big III, the camaraderie among bandmates is at the fore, infusing the record with a rare vitality that blends beauty and raw emotion. Parks remarks, “While this record feels the most supple and alive, it also feels like the most focused album Little Big has recorded - the most distilled down to the essence.”
In sum, Little Big III not only marks a significant return for Aaron Parks to Blue Note but also makes evident the band's evolution and the maturity of its leader. With its rich textures and profound musical interplay, the album reaffirms Parks' status as a visionary in contemporary jazz, capturing both the complexity of life and the joy of artistic expression in equal measure.