JD
Parran is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, who has mastered
a wide variety of woodwind instruments (from the familar tenor saxophone
to the rarely heard alto clarinet, E-flat contrabass clarinet, bass
saxophone and bamboo flute). He has appeared on more than 50 recordings
over the last three decades, including collaborations with The Band,
Anthony Braxton, Don Byron, Anthony Davis, Julius Hemphill, New
Winds, Yoko Ono, Alan Silva and Stevie Wonder among many others.
His latest two releases as a leader, JD
Parran & Spirit Stage featuring the poetry of Shirley LeFlore
and Omegathorp: Living
City (co-led with Mark Deutsch) are both available on Y'All
Recordings. He is also a veteran educator who lectures at City University
of New York (CUNY) and teaches clarinet and saxophone at Harlem
School for the Arts. In addition to his teaching and performing
careers, he has been commissioned as a composer by organizations
such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer,
the New York State Council on the Arts, the Jerome Foundation and
the Helen W. Buckner Foundation.
|
Click on the
photo to download a higher resolution version.
Photo by Norberto Valle, Jr. |