Maceo Parker

Biography

Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Since the early 1990s, he has toured under his own name.

Biography

Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina, United States. Parker's father played piano and drums in addition to singing in church with Parker's mother; his brother Melvin played drums and his brother Kellis played the trombone. Parker and his brother Melvin joined James Brown in 1963; in his autobiography, Brown claims that he originally wanted Melvin as his drummer, but agreed to additionally take Maceo under his wing as part of the deal. In March 1970, Parker, his brother Melvin, and a few of Brown's band members left to establish the band Maceo & All the King's Men, which toured for two years.
In January 1973, Parker rejoined James Brown's group. He also charted a single "Parrty – Part I" (No. 71 pop singles) with Maceo & the Macks that year. In 1975, Parker and some of Brown's band members, including Fred Wesley, left to join George Clinton's band Parliament-Funkadelic. Parker once again re-joined James Brown from 1984 to 1988.
In the 1990s, Parker began a solo career. His first album of this period Roots Revisited×Roots Revisited1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Them That Got3:572Children's World10:493Better Get Hit In Yo' Soul5:414People Get Ready5:555Up And Down East Street8:116Over The Rainbow4:147Jumpin' The Blues6:178In Time5:30 spent 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts. To date he has released 11 solo albums since 1990. Parker's 1992 live album, Life on Planet Groove×Life on Planet Groove20 October 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Shake Everything You've Got16:392Pass the Peas11:273I Got You (I Feel Good)3:464Got to Get U7:095Addictive Love8:596Children's World6:227Georgia on My Mind7:238Soul Power '9214:13, is considered to be his seminal live album, marking his first collaboration with Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer.
In 1993, Parker made guest appearances on hip hop group De La Soul's album Buhloone Mindstate. In the late 1990s, Parker began contributing semi-regularly to recordings by Prince and accompanying his band, The New Power Generation, on tour. He also played on the Jane's Addiction track "My Cat's Name Is Maceo" for their 1997 compilation album Kettle Whistle. In 1998, Parker performed as a guest on "What Would You Say" on a Dave Matthews Band concert, which also became one of their live albums, Live in Chicago 12.19.98.
In 2004, Parker toured as a part of Prince's band for the "Musicology Live 2004ever" tour and again in 2007 he performed as part of Prince's band for Prince's 21 nights at the O2 arena. Parker also played as part of Prince's band for his 21-night stay at LA's Forum in 2011.
In 2008, Maceo Parker closed the Edmonton International Jazz Festival at Urban Lounge.

Parker's album Roots & Grooves×Roots & Grooves7 September 2007 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Hallelujah I Love Her So6:382Busted3:543Them That's Got6:124You Don't Know Me6:245Hit The Road Jack5:096Margie6:027Georgia On My Mind6:178What I'd Say9:349Tonk5:15Disc 21Uptown Up5:582To Be Or Not To Be6:233Off The Hook8:024Advanced Funk7:115Shake Everything You Got7:086Pass The Peas17:487Shake Everything You Got (Drum Mix)8:20 with the WDR Big Band is a tribute to Ray Charles, whom Parker cites as one of his most important influences. The album won a Jammie for best Jazz Album in 2009. Parker followed this up with another collaboration with WDR Big Band in 2012 with the album Soul Classics×Soul Classics14 September 2012 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Papa's Got a Brand New Bag4:352I Wish7:593Yesterday I Had the Blues7:564Higher Ground6:125Do Your Thing5:136Rock Steady6:517One in a Million You4:498Soul Power6:479Announcement2:0310Come by and See4:53.
In October 2011, Parker was honored with induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
In July 2012, Parker was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Victoires Du Jazz in Paris. He continues touring, headlining many jazz festivals in Europe and doing as many as 290 concerts a year.
In May 2016, Parker received The North Carolina Heritage Award from his home state.
Parker toured with the Ray Charles Orchestra and the Raelettes performing a tribute to Ray Charles at major festivals worldwide, including Monterey Jazz Festival in 2016 and Playboy Jazz Festival in 2019.

Book and media

In February 2013, Maceo Parker published his autobiography, 98% Funky Stuff: My Life in Music with the publisher Chicago Review Press.
Parker was portrayed by Craig Robinson in the 2014 James Brown biopic Get on Up.

Tributes

Maceo, the restaurant in the 1st arrondissement of Paris opened in 1997 by Mark Williamson, is named for Parker.