J. D. Parran


J. D. Parran is an American multi-woodwind player, educator, and composer specializing in jazz and free improvisation. He plays the soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass saxophone, as well as the E-flat clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, piccolo, alto flute, bamboo flute, Native American flute, bamboo saxophone, and nagaswaram.

Career

Parran spent his college years in St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended Webster University and received an M.A. in music education from Washington University in St. Louis. While a university student, he joined the Black Artists' Group with Hamiet Bluiett. He moved to New York City in 1971 and has served as chairman of the music department and the director of Jazz and African American Music Studies at The Harlem School of the Arts. He has taught at the City University of New York and Greenwich House Music School.
Parran has recorded with Stevie Wonder and John Lennon. For fifteen years he was a member of the experimental woodwind trio New Winds with Robert Dick and Ned Rothenberg, and is a member of Anthony Davis's Episteme ensemble. He also performs and records with Anthony Braxton's ensembles and has collaborated with Leroy Jenkins, Hamiet Bluiett, Douglas Ewart, John Lindberg, Peter Brötzmann, and the free improvisation group Company, which included Derek Bailey, Hugh Davies, Jamie Muir, Evan Parker, Vinko Globokar, and Joëlle Léandre.

Discography

As leader

J. D. Parran & Spirit Stage
  • ''Omegathorp: Living City''

As sideman

With Anthony Braxton4 (Ensemble) Compositions 1992 Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978 Tentet (New York) 1996 Ensemble (New York) 1995 Four Compositions 1998 Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997 Vol. 1 Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997 Vol. 2 Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997 Vol. 3 Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997 Vol. 4 GTM 1997 Vol. 2 New Orchestra 1978
With Thomas BucknerFull Spectrum Voice Inner Journey
With Don ByronDon Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz You Are #6: More Music for Six Musicians Love, Peace, and Soul
With Company
With Anthony DavisVariations in Dream-Time Hemispheres Return from Space Undine Tania Notes from the Underground
With Marty EhrlichThe Long View A Trumpet in the Morning
With Julius HemphillJulius Hemphill Big Band One Atmosphere
With others