Country : Canada Label : Indépendant Genres and styles : Jazz Year : 2024

Teri Parker’s FreeSpirits – Peaks and Valleys

· by Frédéric Cardin

Parker is based in Toronto and is quite active on the city’s local scene. Peaks and Valleys, without being presented as such, is a feminist album. Not in the political sense, but rather in the practical sense. It features all-female compositions (two by Mary Lou Williams, two by Geri Allen, and a five-movement suite by Parker herself) and only two boys out of a total of seven performers on the whole album. 

The excellent pieces by Allen (“Unconditional Love” and “Drummer’s Song”) and Williams (“Gloria” and “Rosa Mae,” a first vocal release of this piece) are finely drawn by Parker’s ensemble, without too abrupt sonic explorations, respecting the popular and stylish nature of these great artists. Parker’s suite, “Peaks and Valleys” is in the same vein, that of melodic, straightforward jazz, tinged here with blues and elsewhere with pop and favouring simple but enthusiastic interventions by the musical partners. A few tracks stand out, such as “Survival,” a spoken word on a bed of sparkling piano drops. Very pretty indeed. 

Peaks and Valleys will satisfy your desire for safe jazz, conducted with talent and conviction.

Teri Parker’s FreeSpirits

Teri Parker, piano and spoken word

Allison Au, alto saxophone 

Alison Young, alto saxophone and vocals 

Rebecca Hennessy, trumpet and vocals 

Lauren Falls, bass

Mackenzie Longpre, drums

Mario Allende, percussion

Latest 360 Content

Vitta Morales, Our Versatile Colleague

Vitta Morales, Our Versatile Colleague

Late-Night Warehouse Ambiance for Juan Atkins All-Nighter at the SAT

Late-Night Warehouse Ambiance for Juan Atkins All-Nighter at the SAT

Lifeguard – Ripped and Torn

Lifeguard – Ripped and Torn

Brainwasher – At Least It Beats an Actor

Brainwasher – At Least It Beats an Actor

Nicholas Daniel – Complete Works for Oboe by Madeleine Dring

Nicholas Daniel – Complete Works for Oboe by Madeleine Dring

Christine Tassan; Marie-Véronique Bourque – Bruissement boréal

Christine Tassan; Marie-Véronique Bourque – Bruissement boréal

Lanaudière Festival | Metropolitan Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin/Marc-André Hamelin: When Nature Drives the Concert

Lanaudière Festival | Metropolitan Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin/Marc-André Hamelin: When Nature Drives the Concert

Festival de Lanaudière | Sol Gabetta : Queen of the cello meets les Violons du Roy

Festival de Lanaudière | Sol Gabetta : Queen of the cello meets les Violons du Roy

The “rodas de samba” That Never End

The “rodas de samba” That Never End

Friday night at the Dômesicle – All night long with Jump Source

Friday night at the Dômesicle – All night long with Jump Source

Éli Doyon et la Tempête – Attraper le ciel avant qu’il tombe

Éli Doyon et la Tempête – Attraper le ciel avant qu’il tombe

Barbara Hannigan; Katia et Marielle Labèque – Electric Fields

Barbara Hannigan; Katia et Marielle Labèque – Electric Fields

Montreal Vocal Arts Festival | The Magic Flute to conclude ICAV’s opera month

Montreal Vocal Arts Festival | The Magic Flute to conclude ICAV’s opera month

Fire, Fungi, and Family Fun: The ShazamFest XX Experience

Fire, Fungi, and Family Fun: The ShazamFest XX Experience

Festival de Lanaudière | Kent Nagano: The eternal, and always welcome, return

Festival de Lanaudière | Kent Nagano: The eternal, and always welcome, return

Tyler, the Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS

Tyler, the Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS

Off Piknic with Gorgon City, Dennis Ferrer, Riordan, and Linska

Off Piknic with Gorgon City, Dennis Ferrer, Riordan, and Linska

Jeff Bridges – Slow Magic, 1977-1978

Jeff Bridges – Slow Magic, 1977-1978

Piknic Electronik | DJ Fuckoff Turns Up The Heat for Pep Rally

Piknic Electronik | DJ Fuckoff Turns Up The Heat for Pep Rally

Orford 2025 | Collectif9: folk that innovates and grooves

Orford 2025 | Collectif9: folk that innovates and grooves

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | The next global star of Tuareg blues is born, and it is in Montreal

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | The next global star of Tuareg blues is born, and it is in Montreal

Ruby Creek – Forget Me Not

Ruby Creek – Forget Me Not

Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out

Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out

Ross Lee Finney : Landscapes Remembered

Ross Lee Finney : Landscapes Remembered

Subscribe to our newsletter