Cultural Affairs is presenting a performance of The Chris Parker Septet on Friday, May 6, 2022 at 8pm -- in-person at William and Helen Richards Theatre at Orange Hall.

This event honors professor/composer/pianist Chris Parker who is retiring from teaching music and leading the jazz studies program at SUNY Orange.  

Parker has composed some new pieces for this concert. And all of the selections for the evening are original compositions by him. Over the years his bands have been trios, quartets, and quintets. The septet introduces a unique combination of instruments making possible a variety of interesting tone color combinations. Instrumentation includes, piano, acoustic and electric basses, various saxophones, trombone, five-string violin, and drums and percussion.

This unusual mix of instruments goes hand in hand with Parkerʼs eclectic mix of compositions which range from Straight Ahead Jazz to Mambos and Tangos to Funk.

Members of his band are Tony Marino, acoustic/electric basses; Alejandro Aviles, alto sax; Dave Riekenberg, baritone sax & bass clarinet; Doug Beaver, trombone; Rob Thomas, five-string violin; Marko Marcinko, drums and percussion; and Chris Parker, piano.

Come early! Jazz in the Gallery will start off the evening at 7:10pm and performing are all former students who Parker has mentored over the years. They are excited to play the same evening as their beloved professor.

Now that he will have more unscheduled time, Chris Parker will be able to compose and perform on a more regular basis. In additional to composing in the jazz idiom, Parker has musical sketches of 21^st C classical works that he intends on completing for future non-jazz concerts.

SUNY Orange’s Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues
GPS: 24 Grandview Avenue, Middletown, NY.

Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at (845)341-4891 or cultural@sunyorange.edu