Chad Fowler and Christopher Parker - Park Hill Saudade (2022) [Hi-Res]

Growing up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, pianist Christopher Parker and Saxophonist Chad Fowler lived one block away from each other. As teenagers they each immersed themselves in improvised music, only to meet and realize their geographic and creative proximity just before graduating high school and heading off to college. As fate would have it, the two both ended up at the University of Memphis where they continued what would become a multi-decade musical collaboration.

Their combined musical collaborations include the likes of Rufus Reid, Brian Blade, Frank Lowe, Alvin Fielder, Kidd Jordan, Willam Parker, Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, Daniel Carter, Jaimie Branch and many others. Recently, the two have appeared on a number of records in larger formats including Parker’s commissioned No Tears Suite, Nothing But Love, a celebration of the works of Frank Lowe, and their group Dopolarians’ Garden Party (featuring Kidd Jordan and Alvin Fielder) and The Bond (featuring Grammy winning percussionist Brian Blade).

Two soulful spirits with a creative commonality, from Park Hill, magnetically met after a Count Basie concert. Ironically, they found out that they lived one block from each other.

Chad Fowler and Chris Parker shared their love for creative music and began to develop their more than thirty-year friendship. Their music on this recording, Parkhill Saudade, captures the essence of their close friendship and musical bond. Listen to the deep interaction of their phrases, connections, resolutions, dynamics, transitions and the depth of each composition’s musical story with beginnings and endings that flow with a natural pulse from two human heartbeats. The music like their friendship is sensitive, sensational, soaring, serene, soulful, scintillating, subtle and cohesively boundless.

Parkhill Saudade reveals an emotional experience that transcends the illusion of time. Thank you both Chad Fowler and Chris Parker for creating music that enables the listener to feel eternal moments of honest, passionate expression.

Chad Fowler - saxophone
Christopher Parker - piano