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About
biography
Jonah Parzen-Johnson makes music for baritone saxophone that challenges listeners with experimental textures & forms while embracing them with warm approachable melodies. A Chicago native and longtime Brooklyn resident, Jonah has performed solo in more than a dozen countries across four continents. His solo performances are a deeply intimate experience, as he endeavors to share who he is, how he sees our world, and the temporary moments of community that we can all embrace together.
Jonah released his fifth solo saxophone album, You’re Never Really Alone, on We Jazz Records in March 2024. Across eight tracks, he explores the technical limits of his baritone saxophone without ever making the listener feel like he has something to prove. You will find circular breathing, multiphonics, and explosive levels of sound, but more importantly, you will enjoy every moment of musical storytelling and compositional skill. This music is made for repeat listening.
In April 2022, Jonah, found himself on a flight to Istanbul to play a one-off duo concert with a veteran drummer & sound designer at the center of Istanbul’s vibrant music scene, Berke Can Özcan. They met for the first time 30 minutes before soundcheck. The concert that followed could have been the culmination of years of collaboration. Both urgent and timeless, their musical partnership is instantly solid, innocent and joyful. The duo released their debut album, It Was Always Time, on We Jazz Records in November 2024.
press quotes
“Autechre-esque pings, burbles and boings swirl together in the backs as Parzen-Johnson takes deep, chest rattling sax solos that scale the same ecstatic heights as Mats Gustafson but in a much more disciplined and mantra-like manner.”
– The Wire Magazine (UK)
“With every melodious note, circular breath and heavy drone, Parzen-Johnson delivers a work of intense beauty.”
– NYC Jazz Record (USA)
“A meditative invocation of self-realization.”
– Jazziz Magazine (USA)
“A rare specialist in that most challenging of disciplines, the solo recital.”
– London Jazz News (UK)
“An arresting tangle of minimalist electronic drones, rumbling drums and modal jazz sax freakouts.”
– The Guardian (UK)
“Their shared rapport has led to a frequently tuneful unspooling.” 4 Stars
– Downbeat Magazine (USA)
“Sofisticanti tentativi di fourth world music che da Hassell portano alle vibrazioni contemporanee di Natural Information Society”
– Blow Up Magazine (Italy)
“A masterfully crafted collection, skillfully layering synthesizers and acoustics to provide a textured backdrop for languid saxophone melodies.”
– All About Jazz (USA)