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.
In November 2025, Jonah released, A Few We Remember, the debut album from his collaboration with Finnish composer Lau Nau, aka Laura Naukkarinen. The music cycles between moments of knotty ambience, whispered melody, and innocent tinkering, as the duo improvises over 8 narrative scores composed by Parzen-Johnson.
Press
“An arresting tangle of minimalist electronic drones, rumbling drums and modal jazz sax freakouts.”
“A conversational intimacy that feels like eavesdropping on a private internal monologue.“
“It Was Always Time weaves Parzen-Johnson’s melodies together with synth textures and found sounds into a richly layered and joyful collaboration.“
“Spontaneity often arrives via a looped foundation, supplying an opening into the improvisation, resulting in a dubby swarm of compulsion.“
“Parzen-Johnson delivers a work of intense beauty.”
“Gentle breathy phrases are punctuated by guttural rasps, before the delicate run begins again.“