The musical snapshots gathered on bassist/songwriter Reggie Parker’s debut album are vivid and revealing. From tender R&B ballads to sleek jazz/hip hop fusions, its tunes are united by vibrant musicianship and a warm, open hearted spirit. Taken together, the 16 tracks on SnapShots reflect the experiences of a veteran player who is just beginning to show his full creative range.
Gospel music lovers know Reggie from his years of touring and recording with such notables as the Reverend Hezekiah Walker and James Hall. R&B and hip-hop fans have heard his distinctive bass lines accompanying Will Smith and Coolio, among others. Reggie has proven himself as an in-demand sideman many times over – now he’s finally stepping into the spotlight on his own.
SnapShots showcases Reggie honest, well-crafted lyric sense and gift for flowing melodies. “My songwriting basically comes from just living life,” he says. “I shied away from writing for a long time. Then one day I just gave it a shot and the music and words started to flow. It all felt very natural.”
Reggie calls his musical abilities a God-given gift rather than a talent. Growing up in Brooklyn, he took inspiration from the music he heard in the church where his father, the late Reverend Joe L. Parker, was the pastor. He also absorbed the classic R&B/pop sounds of everyone from Stevie Wonder and the Jackson Five to Donny Hathaway and Luther Vandross. At age 12, Reggie convinced his parents to buy him an electric bass, though he confesses it took him awhile to master the instrument: “People thought there was no hope. But I kept practicing and practicing and one day it seemed like I literally woke up and knew how to play.”
Studying the styles of such master bassists as Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius, Reggie developed his own unique sound on the four-string bass. He honed his skills while gigging at such venues as Wilson’s in Manhattan, where he sat in with various guest players and vocalists. His stint at the club led to live dates with rapper Coolio and studio sessions with Will Smith (he appears on Smith’s hit track “Freakin’ It”).
By the late ‘90s, Reggie had developed a reputation as “Mr. 4String” in the church world. He toured extensively with the Reverend Hezekiah Walker & the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir and appeared on seven albums by the group. He also contributed to live and studio projects by James Hall, Reverend George Searight, Maurette Brown Clark and B.B. Jay. His melodic lines and commitment to the groove were a great asset, whether the music was sacred, secular or somewhere in between.
Reggie didn’t begin to seriously get into songwriting until 2011, when he wrote the majority of the tunes that appear on SnapShots. He first approached producer Cornell “Big House” Young about demoing a pair of songs to shop to other artists. It was Young who suggested that Reggie keep the songs and make his own album. After much thought and prayer, Reggie jumped in with enthusiasm and rounded up old (and new) friends to help him make the project a reality.
Keyboardist Shedrick Mitchell – known for his work with Whitney Houston and Maxwell –played a key role in the sessions. “He brought honesty to the project,” says Reggie. “He gave me great advice on choosing songs and could tell when a minor chord should’ve been major. He helped everything make sense musically.”
For vocalists, Reggie enlisted the help of a diverse cast of fresh singers. Elizabeth Pegues lent a sweet tone to the neo-soul ballad “U Said” and added a sultry touch to the jazzy “9 Minutes 2 Midnight” and the groove-driven “Hip Hop Avenue.” Pegues in turn brought in Asif Ellis (who sang with finesse on the R&B-styled “On My Mind” and “SnapShots”) and Yolanda Renee (who lent “Diva” plenty of sass and attitude). Damon White from the gospel group Manifest stopped by to sing “I’m Available” with romantic grace. Linny Smith likewise brought a classy, heartfelt feel to “So Beautiful”
Worthy of special notice is “Hugging the Wind,” featuring Reggie’s daughters Serenity and son Joel on vocals. The track also features his oldest daughter Kayla on the clarinet, as well as rapper Isaac Blakeney: “That song is about faith. “It gives positive reinforcement to kids and adults in whatever they want to do in life. You just got to have faith to make it work.”
As producer, Young took special care with the vocal arrangements: “All the parts you hear, that’s Cornell. He has a great sense of humor, which helped all the vocalists feel comfortable. There was a lot of laughter in the studio.”
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SnapShots was recorded at Brooklyn’s Chop Shop Studios with Eddie Unay engineering: “It took a year to record the album. We worked on Saturdays for 10 to 12-hour stretches. It could get long, but it was a great experience. I’m grateful for my wife Simone, who prepared delicious meals for the crew. We all had fun conversations that would go late into the night.”
Like a photo album full of memories, SnapShots captures moments of love, longing and inspiration. You can hear the musical skill and chemistry that went into the tracks, along with the sincerity behind the tunes. Most of all, Reggie Parker’s blend of old school substance and 21st Century style makes this music unpredictable, ear-catching and appealing to a wide variety of music fans. It’s all there in the grooves.
– Barry Alfonso
Website: www.reggieparker.com
Twitter: @ReggieParker4
