He'll turn 18 in October. With his career approaching warp speed, savvy jazz fans who missed Parks last weekend will want to catch him when they can. Selected for the first-place award in the fifth American Jazz Piano Competition Saturday at Madame Walker Theatre Center, Parks will return June 30 for the annual Taste of Jazz in the Park. It will be presented in Military Park Downtown by the American Pianists Association, which sponsors the contest. Parks topped a field of 19, of whom six were semifinalists presenting two sets apiece Friday night at the Jazz Kitchen.
Parks seems unfazed by having achieved such prominence so young.
I don't think of myself as being 17, but as just trying to be the best musician I can be. I don't want to settle for being good for 17. From Friday's performances, a jury of critic Terry Teachout and pianists Hilton Ruiz and Wlodek Pawluk selected Marco Paguia and Deanna Witkowski as finalists along with Parks. Each of the three played 20 minutes Saturday night, offering one solo and two other pieces accompanied by bassist Thomas Knific and drummer Tim Froncek, jazz educators from Western Michigan University. Helen Small, executive director of the pianists association, said a performance tour for Parks is now being set up.