Maceo Parker
Jefferson Center - Shaftman Performance Hall 541 Luck Ave, Roanoke, Virginia 24016
Tickets for this show are:
Premium Loge - $51
Gold - $36Silver - $32
Bronze - $22
In addition, each ticket sold incurs a $2 service fee at checkout. This show is Reserved Seating.
A Star City favorite and friend of Jefferson Center’s Music Lab, Maceo Parker is funk incarnate. Having developed his earliest appreciation for music through his parents’ involvement in the church choir and watching rehearsals of his uncle’s jazz band, the foundation for Parker’s funk sound is deeply rooted in jazz. Beginning with his career as saxophonist for James Brown in the 1960s, he has worked with figure heads of funk music at the height of their success. From the breathtaking shows of James Brown to the landing of the Mothership with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Maceo has been there, delivering his signature sound. The vocalist, composer, and instrumentalist is now heir to a new funk empire—one that is both fresh and stylistically diverse.
Born in North Carolina, Parker spent his childhood watching rehearsals of his uncle’s jazz and R&B band, the Blue Notes. His uncle, impressed by the musicality of Maceo and his brothers, dubbed the teen trio “the Junior Blue Notes” and allowed them to perform between sets at Blue Notes shows.
Over the years, Parker has collaborated with musicians such as Ray Charles, Ani Difranco, James Taylor, De La Soul, Dave Matthews Band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Prince. It is his timeless sound as a solo artist, however, which has garnered him an enthusiastic young fan base.
Without question, Parker’s body of work over the past four decades stands on its own merits, yet he sees the music as part of an even greater message. “At all my concerts, I try to say ‘love’ as many times as I can…,” he says. “I’m… showing the spirit of love throughout the word as much as I can.”
Visit www.maceoparker.com for more.