J.D. Parran, an adjunct in the Department of Art and Music and a master clarinetist Receives Rave Review from The New York Times

April 16, 2007

Parran was one of four soloists who “played four brand-new pieces” with “four distinctive musical styles” at the Miller Theatre’s Pocket Concertos.

Parran played Anthony Davis’ clarinet concerto, “You Have a Right to Remain Silent.” Davis is an established composer known for his operas. According to the Times, “The soloists are the key players, and each piece was tailored to its performer. J. D. Parran, who made his instruments’ voices — from lithe lines on a soprano clarinet to flatulent birdlike stutters on the contra-alto — more articulate than the words of the Miranda warnings that the instrumentalists spoke, sang and whispered in and around rhythmic jazzy ensembles.”

J.D. Parran is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, who has mastered a wide variety of woodwind instruments (from the familiar tenor saxophone to the rarely heard alto clarinet, E-flat contrabass clarinet, bass saxophone and bamboo flute). He has appeared on more than 50 recordings over the last three decades, including collaborations with The Band, Anthony Braxton, Don Byron, Anthony Davis, Julius Hemphill, New Winds, Yoko Ono, Alan Silva and Stevie Wonder among many others. His latest two releases as a leader, JD Parran & Spirit Stage featuring the poetry of Shirley LeFlore and Omegathorp: Living City (co-led with Mark Deutsch) are both available on Y’All Recordings.

He is also a veteran educator who lectures at BMCC and teaches clarinet and saxophone at Harlem School for the Arts. In addition to his teaching and performing careers, he has been commissioned as a composer by organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Jerome Foundation and the Helen W. Buckner Foundation.

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