John Park, Alto/Tenor

[The Rep]

I have a vinyl album called If Winter Comes, it is by John Park. It is on Jazz Mark Records and was recorded in two live sets, 1975 Kansas City Jazz Festival and 1979 Embers Restaurant Texarkana. I like this record and have often wondered if this was his only recording. I do know he played with Kenton but I would be pleased if anyone has any info or background please.

Cheers

[JSngry]

http://www.kimparkmusic.com/john_park.htm

I heard Park w/Kenton several times. Usually in concert setting, but one at a dance, and that was something to hear, let me tell you, as the book sorta got set aside the later the evening went on in favor of loose blowing on standards by various soloists backed by head parts fromt he band.

Park took 2-3 choruses on "Stardust" that were absolutely breathtaking. Just goes to show you that, particularly in those days, to be considered even "a good player" meant that you had to be very, very good indeed. Also goes to show you that records don't even begin to tell the story, and that somebody like Park, who made some good sides with Kenton, but nothing that even remotely approached what I heard at that dance that night, can have their most glorious moments heard by a realtive ahndful of people and the rest of the world will never know about it, or sometimes, even them.

Sure, it's a small world, and it's getting smaller everyday. But it's still easier than hell to get lost in it.

[kh1958]

There is this website:

http://kimparkmusic.com/john_park.htm

[The Rep]

Thanks,

I wish I could have been there, its that kind of sound that remains with you the rest of your life.

Thanks for the site, as I feard, just the one album.

Cheers Ray

[Peter Friedman]

I have the following CD that has three tracks by John Park.

Saxophone Glory Vol.1 - Jazz Mark 112

There are also tracks on this CD by Vicho Vicencio, Don Lanphere, Paul Guerreo with Marchel Ivery & James Clay, and Frank Strazzeri with Bill Perkins and Bob Cooper

[Spontooneous]

There's another reason the "If Winter Comes" LP is a keeper. It's a rare recorded example of the Kansas City pianist George Salisbury at work.

[clifford_thornton]

Been looking for a copy for some time, but an LP hasn't turned up. Anyone here got a line on one?

[Chuck Nessa]

I believe the Jazz Mark label was recently acquired by Delmark. Maybe there is more Park in the can.

[Peter Friedman]

A good friend who knew John Park very well sent me some cassettes by Park many years ago. Unfortunately he was playing with a mediocre group so while he sounded very good, the session as a whole was not wonderful.

The very best solo I ever heard by John Park is on the tune "Street Of Dreams" which I have on this CD.

Stan Kenton - Birthday in Britain - Creative World STD 1065

Park's solo on this tune is absolutely marvelous.

[John Tapscott]

A good friend who knew John Park very well sent me some cassettes by Park many years ago. Unfortunately he was playing with a mediocre group so while he sounded very good, the session as a whole was not wonderful.

The very best solo I ever heard by John Park is on the tune "Street Of Dreams" which I have on this CD.

Stan Kenton - Birthday in Britain - Creative World STD 1065

Park's solo on this tune is absolutely marvelous.

Yep, that's the one. He also has fine solos on a couple of the Hank Levy time signature charts, "Of Time and Space" and "Ambivalence." Park was a great player, considered by every Kenton fan I know, to have been the outstanding soloist in Kenton's bands of the 70's. Heart troubles at a young age took John off the road, off the scene, and ultimately off the planet at around age 45 (1979, I think).

I have the LP "When Winter Comes." If you ever see a copy, grab it. Honestly, the Kenton rhythm section was better (a young Peter Erskine on drums), but Park sounds very good on it.

Edited November 28, 2012 by John Tapscott

[JSngry]

Park was a great player, considered by every Kenton fan I know, to have been the outstanding soloist in Kenton's bands of the 70's.

I'd tend to agree, but a case could be made for Tony Campise, although in the end, yeah, Park.

Don't sleep on Campise, though, I guess that's what I'm saying. apart from the overt Kirk-isms, he was quite a spirit!

[Stereojack]

I have the Jazz Mark LP - Park is a special player. A Texan I know hipped me to Campise a few years ago - I like his playing, but sometimes these 90 mph beboppers leave me cold. I suppose he's more than that; I should give him another listen.

[clifford_thornton]

I believe the Jazz Mark label was recently acquired by Delmark. Maybe there is more Park in the can.

Thanks for the tip.

[JSngry]

A Texan I know hipped me to Campise a few years ago - I like his playing, but sometimes these 90 mph beboppers leave me cold. I suppose he's more than that; I should give him another listen.

Maybe not...he's one of those guys whose energy is its own reward, more than his actual substance. I enjoy/enjoyed it (and very subjectively) in the context of the time/place/social context, he was just more..."jump off the cliff" than what you'd normally find there, but if you didn't feel it the first time, I don't know that there's anything there to change your mind.

[kh1958]

A Texan I know hipped me to Campise a few years ago - I like his playing, but sometimes these 90 mph beboppers leave me cold. I suppose he's more than that; I should give him another listen.

Maybe not...he's one of those guys whose energy is its own reward, more than his actual substance. I enjoy/enjoyed it (and very subjectively) in the context of the time/place/social context, he was just more..."jump off the cliff" than what you'd normally find there, but if you didn't feel it the first time, I don't know that there's anything there to change your mind.

Or was he recommending Campisi's?

http://www.campisis....ockingbird.html

Edited November 29, 2012 by kh1958

[JSngry]

A Texan I know hipped me to Campise a few years ago - I like his playing, but sometimes these 90 mph beboppers leave me cold. I suppose he's more than that; I should give him another listen.

Maybe not...he's one of those guys whose energy is its own reward, more than his actual substance. I enjoy/enjoyed it (and very subjectively) in the context of the time/place/social context, he was just more..."jump off the cliff" than what you'd normally find there, but if you didn't feel it the first time, I don't know that there's anything there to change your mind.

Or was he recommending Campisi's?

http://www.campisis....ockingbird.html

As for me myself, I'd file both under "if you like that type of thing".

[jim ward]

I played in an army band with John Park before he got out of the service and joined Kenton. He was a marvelous player who died all too young. "If Winter Comes" was briefly reissued on a CD titled "Joy Spring." I was able to obtain a copy of the CD, but it is no longer available.