Parker Jazz Orchestra

For a lot of folks, holidays are all about tradition. But that doesn’t mean we need to stick only to the ones we already have. The crew at Parker Jazz hopes to start a new tradition with a New Year’s Day performance by their eponymous orchestra. Made up of Parker regulars and veteran players, the ensemble knows how to riff, swing, and make dynamics sing. Anybody who’s sat in front of the horn section of a full 18-piece big band may question the wisdom of hungover post-NYE partiers in attendance, but, after all, good jazz soothes as often as sears. – Michael Toland