The Chris Parker Quartet - Heart Of Mine (2025)

Joy bounces off of drummer Chris Parker’s sticks as his band bops through a mix of bopping originals and standards. The team of Kyoko Oyobe/p, Yuto Kanazawa/g and Ameen Saleem-Michael O’Brien/b bend and snap to the upbeat backbeats. Parker takes the band into Thelonius Monk’s sphere on a fun and kinetic “Nutty Freedom” and lets Kanazawa get cozy on Saleem on a peek-a-boo reading of “Bijou”. Parker rumbles on a strutting “South Washington Street Parade” and gives a gospel feel to the baptized “This This Here” while Kanazawa taps into his inner Wes Montgomery for a velvety “Sempre Grato”. The leader sizzles in high hat heaven during a calypso’d title tune, and rocks had for the serenading guitarist during “You’re A Giver”. Crisp sticks.~By George W. Harris