Parker's Jazzworks: Bio
Richard D. Parker II - Founder
Richard D. Parker: Sax, Trumpet, Percussions, Key Boards and founder of Jazzworks
A Native of Chicago, Illinois Mr. Parker has headed several Soul, Funk, and Jazz Bands in Chicago, Oceanside California, and Yuma Arizona. Mr. Parker has had the privilege of performing with Phil Driscoll in New Orleans and Bobby Shew in Yuma Arizona. In 1994 Mr. Parker established in collaboration with his wife Martha Parker, Parker's Jazzworks Performing Arts Company. Since then he has been the recipient of three performing arts grants awarded by the City of Yuma to produce the concert series "Jazz In The Park". Mr. Parker has been instrumental in promoting Jazz performances, and inspiring other skilled musicians to step out and present to the Yuma public this genre that has not gotten the attention and support that it truly deserves.
Parker developed his skills on trumpet by spending his summers as a youth at music and art camps funded by Hull House Association and the Mid Western Music and Art Association held in East Troy Wisconsin and The University of Kansas in Lawrence Kansas. In New Orleans Louisiana he was awarded a partial scholarship to perform with the Delgado College Jazz Band. Shortly after arriving in Yuma Arizona he adopted the saxophone as his primary instrument and performed with the Arizona Western College Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Parker also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. His major influences are Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Ernie Watts
Steven Embry - Piano
Steven Embry is Yuma Arizona’s premier Jazz and Classical pianist. His career spans five decades not to mention his other career as a painter. His landscape paintings can be viewed and purchased at the Yuma Art Center.
Dan Range - Percusionist
Dan Range is Yuma Arizona’s most sought after percussionist. He is one of Yuma’s great music educators. At present Mr. Range is working on his Master of Arts Degree in Music Education.
Johnell Dickerson - Bassist
Johnell Dickerson is the most flexible bassist any musician would be the pleased to work with. Mr. Dickerson is a multi-instrumentalist whose arsenal of instruments includes the hammond organ, piano and guitar. He also has hundreds of published blues compositions to his credit