CHRISTOPHER PARNIS

EVERYTHING YOU COULD BE

Independent Label

Christopher Parnis, double bass/composer; Brian Dickinson, piano; Aaron Blewett, drums; Matt Greenwood, electric guitar; Christian Antonacci, trumpet/flugelhorn.

For a number of years, Christopher Parnis has been making a name for himself on the Canadian jazz scene.  He’s a power-driven bandleader, a composer and an in-demand jazz bassist.

In 2019, Parnis assembled a quintet to perform his original music.  On one of his original compositions titled, “Opportunity” Parnis takes a walk across the acoustic bass strings and sets the tempo and tone for this tune. His song has a unique melody and chord changes that inspire Christian Antonacci to improvise generously on trumpet. Matt Greenwood is memorable on his electric guitar solo and all the while, Parnis lays down a serious basement for his ensemble to built upon.  He is in lock-step with his oldest musical friend in the band, drummer Aaron Blewett. Parnis borrowed the chord changes from the standard “I’ll Be Seeing You,” but you wouldn’t know it. This tune is all his.

A tune called “Measured Response” was written by Christopher’s father, also a musician and composer; Mark Parnis.  It reflects a melancholy musical mood in a beautiful way.  This ballad has a captivating melody, sung by Christian Antonacci’s horn. I was happy to hear Parnis step into the spotlight on his acoustic bass. Then, Brian Dickinson takes a thoughtful and deliberate piano solo.  This tune is mind-bending in a lovely way. I can definitely see where Christopher Parnis gets his talent as a composer. The title tune dances into my room on bass feet that are busy setting up the time, with Parnis singing his own unique bass song beneath the arrangement. This composition and another called “A False Start” mirror the magic inside the creative Christopher Parnis. He composes unusual, but very riveting and melodic compositions.

They close with his tune, “The Cradle” that skirts around the edges of Avant-garde and modern jazz during the introduction.  You Will hear a bit of everything on this album.  This arrangement on the “Cradle” tune slides through the freedom and inspired improvised parts, landing as a beautiful ballad.

Christopher Parnis is a young bassist and a budding composer.  He is someone I expect we will hear a great deal from in the future.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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