A west coast artist, Robert was raised in a musical family in California and has lived in the Northwest most of his adult life. His sound reflects the breadth of being exposed to jazz, musicals, classical, folk, and rock and roll. If you listen to his collective works, you might hear the influences of Fire and Rain, Whipped Cream, The Girl From Ipanema, Here Comes the Sun, Popsicle Toes, What a Wonderful World, Black Dog, Comfortably Numb, Hey Mister Tamborine Man, or On the Street Where You Live.
His first instrument was the trumpet, but found acoustic and electric guitar in High School offering the ability to sing with it and later, the bouzouki, which he played in Ala Zingara. Vocally, he has studied with professionals and has heard comparison’s from Neil Youngish to David Bowie, but laughs about these as, though he distills his sound from a kaleidoscope of musical exposure, it ultimately flows out of one faucet.
Parks has played all over the Northwest in theaters, festivals, pubs, cafes, living rooms and campfires. A few of these include Folklife, venues such as Egan’s, the Tractor Tavern and The Triple Door, and once won Battle of the Bands Best Original Music co-fronting the band, Ala Zingara. When NPR asked the music writers from alternative weeklies around the country what their top picks of 2004 were, Melissa Bearns of the Eugene Weekly picked Ala Zingara as one of her top three bands highlighting “Because the Silence” which is included as a stripped down version on his album, “Bridge to the Center of the Universe”.
“I have never liked to feel contained in expression. Sometimes… it’s bold as a palette knife with aqua marine or mars black like the sweet sting of my Les Paul. Sometimes… it’s or melancholy impasto style with slate grey or china blue like acoustic notes and hot tea, but it is distilled from the years and multi-hued palate of my experience. Like my paintings, my lyrics are often vulnerably honest, brushed with surrealistic images to reflect on what delights, touches, or shakes me.”
gratitudes:
“Eliane, my constant heart and candid support; my Mother and Father for music lessons and support; Kelsey Kirk, Mark Dodson, and Robert McCurdy for trumpet lessons; Billy Rue Testa, Paul Page, Dan Bukvich, and Andy Shaw for vocal lessons; Michael Gurley, Jere Canote, Bruce Mellow, Simeon Hein, and Neil Hogan for guitar lessons; Lionel Hampton School of Music for theory and aural skills; David Vollmer, Paul Simpson, and Simeon Hein, for encouragement to write and record; Peter Basoa for musical and soul inspiration, belief and support to achieve music goals; Mark Lesko, Bill London, Rose Graham for their support, Bennett Barr for belief, music together, and promotion; John Saba for repairs; and to all I have played or recorded with … cheers to you Brennan Dignan, Megan Larson, Bennett Barr, Benjamin Morrow, Scott Krijnen, Meghan Bass, Aryn Jane, Wendy Tangen-Foster, Rochelle Collins, Stefan Schatz, Ed Littlefield, Dave Dolengewicz, Birch Pereira, Carrie Wicks, Billy Brandt, Rebecca Young, Jason Flores, Richard Cole, Chad McCullough, Yiannis Miralis, Dave Pascal, Paula Maya, David Servias, Jim Stone, Aria Prame, Martine Bron, Michele Navedo, Penny Eachus, Bill Wells, Tobi Stone, Michael Jones, Hillary Scott, Rhonda Osborne-Dater, Loren Hestler, Gere Cortwright, Spencer Martin, Steve Lilly, Camilla Nine, Jessie Proksa, Kevin Cook, Costica Mondeanu, and the crew from Lionel Hampton Music School who helped on …in a gypsy style.
Thanks to Don Gunn, John McCaig @ panicStudios, and Dave Pascal for their work and advice for mixing and mastering.
Thanks to Billy Brandt and Carrie Wicks for their work and including us at the Big Gig at the Triple Door. Thanks to Suzanne and Tim at Egan’s Ballard Jam House for the support of music in the community, the open mics for kids, jazz open mic, and place to perform.
Thank you dear sister, Susan Parks for inspiring me with all your talent and support.
And lastly, thank you visitor!”