Parker's Jazzworks: Bio

Parker's Jazzworks

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. His major influences are Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Ernie Watts

Marther A. Parker - Co-founder

Martha Parker: Vocalist, Pianist and Co-Founder of Jazzworks.

Martha was born in Riverside California. She is the cofounder of Parker's Jazzworks Performing Arts and Recording Company. Martha has lived and performed in a number places throughout the south west including Dallas Texas, Roswell New Mexico, and Las Vegas Nevada. In Roswell she began to sing professionally with a number of R&B groups in a variety of venues. After relocating to Las Vegas Martha continued to perform R&B and pursue her interest in Gospel Music. Presently Yuma Arizona is called home, where she participated in several church choirs and worked as the primary vocalist for the Arizona Western College Jazz Ensemble. Martha's musical education was acquired for the most part through private instruction. Ms. Parker's major musical influences are Yolanda Adams, Diane Reeves, and Diana Krall.