Leon Parker

Leon Parker (born August 21, 1965 in White Plains, New York) is a jazz percussionist and composer. He is known for occasionally using a minimalist drum set with fewer components than usual, "sometimes consisting only of a snare drum, bass drum and a cymbal."

His 1998 album, Awakening (Columbia), reached the 20th position on Billboard's "Top Jazz albums" chart. It was his second album for Columbia.

Parker played on pianist Jacky Terrasson's first three albums. Parker toured with guitarist Charlie Hunter, who commented that "What I always look for in drummers is that they have a perfect blend of the visceral and the intellectual [...] Leon definitely had that."

As leader

 * 1994: Above & Below (Epicure)
 * 1996: Belief (Columbia)
 * 1998: Awakening (Columbia)
 * 2001: The Simple Life (Label M)

Collaborations

 * 1999: Duo with Charlie Hunter (Blue Note)

As sideman
With Dewey Redman & Joshua Redman With Jesse Davis With MTB (Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, Peter Bernstein) With Jacky Terrasson With Don Braden With James Carter With Franck Amsallem and Tim Ries With Virginia Mayhew With Giovanni Mirabassi With Giovanni Mirabassi and Gianluca Renzi
 * Choices (Enja, 1992)
 * As We Speak (Concord Jazz, 1992)
 * Young at Art (Concord Jazz, 1993)
 * Consenting Adults (Criss Cross Jazz, 1994)
 * Jacky Terrasson (Bluenote, 1994)
 * Reach (Blue Note, 1995)
 * Alive (Blue Note, 1998)
 * ''A Paris... (Blue Note, 2000)
 * Organic (Epicure, 1995)
 * The Real Quiet Storm (Atlantic, 1995)
 * Is That So, Sunnyside Records 1996
 * Nini Green (Chiaroscuro, 1997)
 * Terra Furiosa (Discograph, 2008)
 * Out of Track (Discograph, 2009)
 * Live At the Blue Note, Tokyo (Discograph, 2010)