ian
parker - 21st century blues man
Expressed through a distinctive bitter-sweet vocal delivery and harrowing guitar work, Ian's songs hold nothing back. His ability and willingness to share with his audience, naked honesty and genuine emotion, is what sets him apart.
Drawing on an eclectic range of influences, this young man is fast becoming Britain's best loved blues/roots performer. A songwriter genuinely literate, sometimes almost literary, Ian is an original craftsman rooted in the blues but not trapped by any desire to replicate the past. He is without doubt a relevant contemporary blues man.
Ian signed to Ruf Records following a personal introduction to US record producer, David Z (Prince - Purple Rain). His debut album 'INSIDE' (Ruf1094) was released in October 2003.
" I was truly honoured to be involved in this project." David Z
In March 2004, Ian appeared on Germany's top live music TV show, 'Rockpalast' as part of the 'Crossroads Festival'. Ian and his band were voted the number one act of the festival and a live DVD of this incendiary performance was released in June 2005, entitled '…WHILST THE WIND' (Ruf3007).
In addition to the DVD, a live album documenting Ian's performance in Hannover during his December 2004 European Tour, was also released in June 2005 under the same title (Ruf1102). Both releases met with high critical acclaim and continue to notch up impressive sales.
In September 2005, Ian wrote and recorded five songs for a Ruf Records project album, 'PILGRIMAGE' (Ruf1112) which was recorded in Clarksdale, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee, and released in January 2006. The recording of Pilgrimage, not only extended Ian's touring activities throughout Europe and importantly into the US, it also had a profound effect on the artist's musical direction and focus.
On return from America in September 2005, Ian began a lengthy artistic process based around his rediscovery of the blues and soul artists who had inspired him to begin playing as a teenager. This period of consolidation culminated in the recording of the album 'WHERE I BELONG' (Ruf1120), released in January 2007.
'WHERE I BELONG' was recorded in Cheltenham, England and produced by Matt Butler, whose extensive CV includes none other than Sir Paul McCartney. Recorded analogue to tape, the album has the rich and warm sonic characteristics associated with the pre-digital age, but there is nothing retro about this release. 'WHERE I BELONG' has something for all blues fans, purists and progressives alike. It catalogues the pronounced growth and self-discovery of a modern blues artist who is here to stay.
This biography is available to download on the publicity page
Ian was born in December 1976 in Birmingham.
The Beatles' Rubber Soul album, found in his parents' record collection, was the catalyst to Ian's interest in music at the age of eight. Soon to be inspired by Jimi Hendrix, Ian raided his piggy bank and bought his first guitar in 1985.
Together with two school friends he formed his first gigging band Strange Brew in 1993. Ian soon realised that if he was to establish a solid song writing foundation and a comprehensive understanding of the guitar he needed to study the music of those who had influenced the likes of Hendrix and his contemporaries. Strange Brew disbanded in 1993.
Throughout 1994, Ian regularly attended a local jam session where he teamed up with a very talented local guitarist some three years his senior. From this liaison, a five-piece blues band Blue Horizon (a name stolen from the famous Mike Vernon record label) was formed featuring two lead guitars. Great energy and hugely self-indulgent, but in Ian's mind the wrong composition to develop into a product with longevity.
1996/7 saw Ian focusing on his degree course and he graduated from The University of Derby with a BSc Honours in Psychology!
Upon his return from Derby and with a clear vision, Ian created
Monty Turnbull - a four-piece line-up which included 'Morg' Morgan on piano
/ organ. Perhaps the greatest shock was Ian's decision to front the line-up
with his own lead vocals. Young drummers and bass players came and went
but the Parker / Morgan alliance grabbing the headlines on the Birmingham R
'n' B circuit. In 1998, session bassist Chris Lomas climbed on board,
followed by equally seasoned and renowned drummer Tony Baylis the following
year, to form Parker's Alibi. During this period and owing largely to the musical
stability offered by this new line-up, Ian's playing, singing, and song-writing
developed notably and he established a reputation across the European circuit,
as one of the UK's hottest Blues prospects.
By the end of 2001, Ian felt the time had come to move on, and with mixed emotions
of excitement and sadness he disbanded Parker's Alibi in February 2002. After
a brief period of experimentation with various musicians, he settled on a line-up
including ex-Robert Plant drummer Andy Edwards, bass virtuoso Steve Amadeo,
and of course his close musical companion Morg Morgan on keyboards to form The
Ian Parker Band which he launched with great success in November 2002. Another
change at the end of 2003 saw Aynsley Lister & Amor drummer Wayne Proctor
join the band.
To download Ian's official biography (at the top of this page), please see the publicity section.