Jeff Parker – The Relatives

Founded in 1995, The Relatives is a quartet of like-minded musicians drawn from the Chicago Underground Orchestra. Parker’s been working with bassist Chris Lopes since college days, when they were at Berklee together in Boston in the mid-80s. Drummer Chad Taylor, who recently moved back to New York after a fruitful period in Chicago, has been a colleague of Parker’s since just after the guitarist moved to Chicago in 1991. The newest comrade, Sam Barsheshet, who plays electric piano on the record, sat in on a gig with Parker in 2002. “I enjoyed his playing and open conception,” says Parker.

Parker says this session, which was waxed in January, 2004 at SOMA and engineered by John McEntire, is “more ‘song- oriented’ than the previous album, and less of a jazz- oriented ‘blowing date.’” It includes original compositions by Taylor (“Istanbul”) and Lopes (“Sea Change,” “Bean Stalk,””Toy Boat”). Parker’s own compositional contributions include “Mannerisms,” a piece that’s become a local standard, prized by various groups – Chicago Underground Quartet, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls – for its sinuous, groovy lines. “Rang (for Michael Zerang)” is a piece written by Parker for his friend and colleague, percussionist Michael Zerang. “It was written when we were both on a tour of France with the Vega Trio, right at the start of the Iraq War.”