Aaron Parks- Find the Way review: searching, restive grooves and spacious optimism

Find the Way
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Artist: Aaron Parks
Genre: Jazz
Label: ECM

Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with a little darkness, but Aaron Parks’ spacious, optimistic playing is like a shaft of sunlight in the dense forest of contemporary piano trios.

The thirtysomething Seattle pianist is to the forefront of a generation of players who are rediscovering the American romanticism of the likes of Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny. Find the Way is Parks' second recording for ECM – following his gutsy 2013 solo debut Arborescence – and it shimmers with bright, singing melodies.

The vastly experienced rhythm team of drummer Billy Hart and bassist Ben Street repeatedly find the road less travelled, responding to Parks' open-textured lyricism with searching, restive grooves that lead to hidden clearings in the music.

Cormac Larkin

Cormac Larkin

Cormac Larkin, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a musician, writer and director