- Maceo Parker
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Maceo Parker
Parker performing at the 2002 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.Background information Born February 14, 1943 Origin Kinston, North Carolina, USA Genres Funk, soul jazz, P-Funk Occupations Musician, band leader Instruments Saxophone, flute, vocals Years active 1964–present Labels Verve Records
What Are Records?,Heads Up Minor MusicAssociated acts James Brown, Maceo & All the King's Men, Maceo & the Macks, The J.B.'s, Parliament, Prince, Horny Horns Website www.maceo.com Maceo Parker ( /ˈmeɪsiːoʊ/; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. He is now just as well known for his own shows, as he has toured continuously under his own name since the early 1990s and has built up a strong fan base.
Contents
Biography
Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina. His father played piano and drums; his mother and father both sang in church. His brother Melvin played drums and his brother Kellis trombone.[1] He and his brother, Melvin, joined James Brown in 1964; in his auto-biography, Brown says that he originally wanted Melvin as his drummer, but agreed to take Maceo under his wing as part of the deal.[2] In 1970 Parker, his brother Melvin, and a few of Brown's band members left to found Maceo & All the King's Men which toured for two years.[3]
In 1974, Parker returned to James Brown. He also charted a single "Parrty - Part I" (#71 pop singles) with Maceo & the Macks that year. In 1975, Parker and some of Brown's band members, including Fred Wesley, left to join George Clinton's band Parliament-Funkadelic.[4] Parker once again re-joined James Brown from 1984 to 1988. In the 1990s, Parker began his successful solo career which is ongoing to this day. He has released ten solo records and has been playing 100 to 150 tour dates per year. His average playing time on stage is more than two and a half hours and is dominated by the music he helped invent, funk. The band has been billed as "The greatest little funk orchestra on earth" or the "Million dollar support band".
In 1993, Parker made guest appearances on hip hop group De La Soul's album Buhloone Mindstate. In the late 1990s, Parker began contributing semi-regularly to recordings by Prince and accompanying his band, The New Power Generation, on tour. He also played on the Jane's Addiction track "My Cat's Name Is Maceo", for their 1997 compilation album Kettle Whistle. In 1998, Parker performed as a guest on "What Would You Say" on a Dave Matthews Band concert which also became one of their live albums, Live in Chicago 12.19.98.
In 2007, Parker performed as part of Prince's band for Prince's 21 nights at the O2 arena.
Parker's last album Roots & Grooves with the WDR Big Band is a tribute to Ray Charles, whom Parker cites as one of his most important influences. The album has received huge critical acclaim, particularly in the US, and won a Jammie for best Jazz Album in 2009.
In October 2011 Parker will be inducted in the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame [5]
He continues touring through-out the world, headlining the major Jazz Festivals in Europe where his following is at its strongest.
Discography
As leader
Year Artist Album Label 1970 Maceo & All the King's Men Doing Their Own Thing House of the Fox / Charly Records 1974 Maceo Us People / P-Vine 1975 Maceo & All the King's Men Funky Music Machine El Cello 1989 Maceo Parker For All the King's Men 4th & Broadway 1990 Maceo Parker Roots Revisited Verve / Minor Music 1991 Maceo Parker Mo' Roots Verve / Minor Music 1992 Maceo Parker Life on Planet Groove Verve / Minor Music 1993 Maceo Parker Southern Exposure Jive / Novus / Minor Music 1994 Maceo Parker Maceo (Soundtrack) Minor Music 1998 Maceo Parker Funk Overload What Are Records? / ESC 2000 Maceo Parker Dial: M-A-C-E-O What Are Records? / ESC 2003 Maceo Parker Made by Maceo What Are Records? / ESC 1994 Maceo Parker My First Name Is Maceo Minor Music 2005 Maceo Parker School's In! BHM Productions 2007 Maceo Parker Roots & Grooves Intuition/ Heads Up As sideman
Year Artist Album Label 1964 James Brown Out of Sight PolyGram 1969 James Brown Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud Polydor / Umgd 1970 James Brown Sex Machine Polydor / Umgd 1972 James Brown Get on the Good Foot PolyGram 1974 James Brown The Payback Polydor / Umgd 1974 James Brown Hell Polydor / Umgd 1975 James Brown Reality PolyGram 1976 Bootsy Collins Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band Warner Bros. 1976 Parliament The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein Island / Mercury 1976 Parliament Mothership Connection Island / Mercury 1977 Bootsy Collins Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby! Warner Bros. 1977 Parliament Live: P-Funk Earth Tour Island / Mercury 1977 Parliament Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome Island / Mercury 1977 Fred Wesley A Blow for Me, A Toot for You Atlantic 1978 Parliament Motor Booty Affair Island / Mercury 1978 Bernie Worrell All the Woo in the World Arista 1979 Bootsy Collins This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N Warner Bros. 1979 Parliament Gloryhallastoopid MCA 1980 Bootsy Collins Ultra Wave Warner Bros. 1980 Parliament Trombipulation PolyGram 1983 P-Funk All Stars Urban Dancefloor Guerillas Sony 1983 George Clinton You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish Capitol 1985 George Clinton Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends Capitol 1985 Red Hot Chili Peppers Freaky Styley Capitol 1986 James Brown Gravity Volcano 1986 James Brown James In the Jungle Groove Polydor / Umgd 1986 Ryuichi Sakamoto Futurista 1987 Micro Wave Cookin' from the Inside Out!!! Columbia 1987 Yvonne Jackson I'm Trouble Ichiban 1988 James Brown James Brown's Funky People, Pt. 2 Polydor / Umgd 1988 Bootsy Collins What's Bootsy Doin'? Sony 1988 Keith Richards Talk Is Cheap EMI 1989 Criminal Element Orchestra Locked Up Atlantic 1990 Various Artists Gramavision 10th Anniversary Sampler Gramavision 1990 Deee-Lite World Clique Elektra / Wea 1990 Living Colour Time's Up Sony 1990 P-Funk All Stars Live at the Beverly Theatre in Hollywood Westbound 1990 Fred Wesley New Friends PolyGram 1990 Rev. Billy C. Wirtz Backslider's Tractor Pull HighTone 1991 James Brown Messing with the Blues PolyGram 1991 Material The Third Power Axiom 1991 Bernie Worrell Funk of Ages Rhino 1991 Kenny Neal Walking on Fire Alligator 1991 Various Artists House Party 2 MCA 1992 Bachir Attar The Next Dream CMP 1992 10,000 Maniacs Our Time in Eden Elektra / Wea 1992 Deee-Lite Infinity Within Elektra / Wea 1993 Various Artists The Best Jazz Is Played with Verve PolyGram 1993 George Clinton "P" Is the Funk AEM 1993 Candy Dulfer Sax-A-Go-Go Sony 1993 Color Me Badd Time and Chance Warner Bros. 1993 Bernie Worrell Blacktronic Science Gramavision 1993 Bryan Ferry Taxi Warner Bros. 1993 Various Artists Manifestation: Axiom Collection II PolyGram 1993 James Brown Soul Pride: The Instrumentals (1960–1969) PolyGram 1993 De La Soul Buhloone Mindstate Rhino 1993 Hans Theessink Call Me Deluge 1993 Dave Koz Lucky Man Capitol 1993 George Clinton Plush Funk Aem 1993 Bernie Worrell Blacktronic Science Gramavision 1994 Bootsy Collins Blasters of the Universe Rykodisc 1994 Pedro Abrunhosa Viagens PolyGram 1994 Bryan Ferry Mamouna Virgin 1994 Nils Landgren Funk Unit Live in Stockholm Red Horn 1992 The JB Horns I Like It Like That Soulciety 1995 Parliament The Best of Parliament: Give Up the Funk PolyGram 1995 Fred Wesley Say Blow by Blow Backwards Aem 1995 Larry Goldings Whatever It Takes Warner Bros. 1995 Brooklyn Funk Essentials Cool And Steady And Easy Groovetown Records 1995 Various Artists Back to Basics, Vol. 2 Instinct 1996 James Brown Foundations Of Funk: A Brand New Bag Polydor / Umgd 1996 Various Artists Little Magic in a Noisy World Act 1996 Various Artists A Celebration of Blues: The New Breed Celeb. of Blues 1997 Various Artists Booming on Pluto: Electro for Droids Ambient 1997 Kenny Neal Deluxe Edition Alligator 1997 Phil Upchurch Whatever Happened to the Blues Go Jazz 1999 Ani DiFranco To The Teeth Righteous Babe Records 1999 Prince Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic NPG 2001 Dave Matthews Band Live in Chicago 12.19.98 RCA 2001 Ani DiFranco Revelling/Reckoning Righteous Babe Records 2002 Prince and The New Power Generation One Nite Alone... Live! NPG 2003 Prince and The New Power Generation C-Note NPG 2004 Prince Musicology NPG / Columbia 2006 Prince 3121 NPG / Universal 2007 Prince Planet Earth NPG / Columbia 2007 Various Artists Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino Vanguard 2008 Prince Indigo Nights NPG 2009 Prince Lotusflower NPG Filmography
Year Artist Album Label 2000 Prince Rave Un2 the Year 2000 NPG Music Club 2002 Maceo Parker Roots Revisited Arthaus Musik 2003 Prince Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas NPG Music Club 2004 Maceo Parker My First Name Is Maceo Minor Music Equipment
Maceo plays a Selmer Mark VI, (which he has had goldplated) and a Brilhart Ebolin mouthpiece 3. He uses Vandoren Java 3 and a half reeds.[6]
References
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2001). Funk. Backbeat Books. pp. 176-179. ISBN 0-87930-629-7.
- ^ Brown, James (1988). The Godfather of Soul (with Bruce Tucker). Fontana / Collins. pp. 156. ISBN 0-00637-256-2.
- ^ Brown, James (1988). The Godfather of Soul (with Bruce Tucker). Fontana / Collins. pp. 217-218. ISBN 0-00637-256-2.
- ^ Wesley, Fred Jr. (2002). Hit Me, Fred. Duke University Press Books. pp. 192. ISBN 0-82232-909-3.
- ^ http://northcarolinamusichalloffame.org/inductee-maceo-parker/
- ^ "Maceo Parker Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ". http://maceoparker.com/faq.html.
External links
- Maceo Parker official website
- Maceo Parker at Allmusic
- Shake Everything You've Got at YouTube
Categories:- 1943 births
- Living people
- People from Lenoir County, North Carolina
- Soul-jazz musicians
- African American musicians
- American funk saxophonists
- American jazz saxophonists
- American bandleaders
- Musicians from North Carolina
- James Brown Orchestra members
- The J.B.'s members
- P-Funk members
- New Power Generation members
- Heads Up International artists
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