AI Artists - JD Parran

Having appeared on fifty recordings that outline his deep roots in a wide spectrum of music, this artist has released the CD, J D Parran & Spirit Stage featuring the poetry of Shirley LeFlore on the Y’All label. The multi-media recording presents African-American creative music as a fulcrum for the heavy life-experience poetry of Ms. LeFlore.

In his hometown, St Louis, J D was a member of the Black Artist Group (BAG). He has performed and/or recorded with Sam Rivers, Oliver Lake, Don Byron, Muhal Richard Abrams, Douglas Ewart, James Jabbo Ware, Quincy Troupe, Hamiet Bluiett, Lena Horne, Frank Foster, George E. Lewis, Vijay Iyer and Julius Hemphill. He was a member of New Winds with Robert Dick and Ned Rothenberg and has performed with the
Vision Orchestra led by Bill Dixon.

J D Parran is valued as a saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist in creative music. His signature instruments are the rarely heard alto clarinet and the nearly extinct bass saxophone. Performances on his first instrument, the tenor saxophone, are heart felt, soulful and relished by audiences.