Zeena Parkins

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Zeena Parkins

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Img_capt = Zeena Parkins performing with Cosa Brava at Jazzit in Salzburg, Austria, 5 April 2008. (© [http://www.jazzfoto.info/konzertfotos08/cosa_brava/pages/jazzit_087446.htm Markus Lackinger] )
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Zeena Parkins
Born = Detroit, Michigan, United States
Instrument = Harp, Accordion, Keyboards
Genre = Experimental,
Free improvisation
Occupation = Musician, Composer
Years_active = 1980s – present
Label = No Man's Land, Tzadik
Associated_acts = News from Babel, Skeleton Crew, Keep the Dog, Cosa Brava, John Zorn, Ikue Mori
URL = [http://www.zeenaparkins.com www.zeenaparkins.com]

Zeena Parkins is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom-made one-of-a kind electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion. She was a one term substitute at Mills College in Fall 2007.Zeena Parkins performer biography in "Misuse..." program (2007)] amg | id = 11:nl5e8qnbbtv4 | label = Zeena Parkins]

Born in Detroit, Michigan, she studied at Bard College and moved to New York City in 1984.

Her work ranges from solo performance to large ensembles. Besides standard and electric harps, her work also incorporates Foley, field recordings, analog synthesizers, samplers, oscillators and homemade instruments.

She has done several solo recordings and has also recorded or performed with Björk, John Zorn (including in Cobra performances), Elliott Sharp, Ikue Mori, Butch Morris, Tin Hat Trio, Jim O'Rourke, Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Lee Ranaldo, Nels Cline, Pauline Oliveros, Anthony Braxton, Matmos, Yoko Ono, Christian Marclay, Courtney Love's band Hole and others. [http://www.zeenaparkins.com/html/mainframe/bio.html Zeena Parkins: Biography] , official site.]

She has been a member of a number of experimental rock bands, including No Safety, News from Babel, Skeleton Crew and Fred Frith's review band, Keep the Dog. [http://www.zeenaparkins.com/html/mainframe/works.html Zeena Parkins: Works] , official site.] In March 2008 she joined Frith's Cosa Brava quintet comprising Frith, Parkins, Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi, and The Norman Conquest.

Parkins has often worked with dance companies and choreographers, including the John Jasperse Company, Jennifer Monson, Neil Greenberg, Emmanuelle Vo-Dinh, [ [http://www.ps1.org/cut/volume/parkins.html Zeena Parkins artist profile] from P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved on June 18 2008.] and Jennifer Lacey, and has won a Bessie Award for "sustained achievement in composing scores for dance."

She has also worked with video artist Janene Higgins [cite web
url = http://www.location1.org/wake-the-dead-spring-music-series-arch-and-how-i-see-the-world-1
title = Wake the Dead Spring Music Series : Arch and How I See the World, #1
accessdate = 2007-10-23
publisher = Location One] and visual artists Daria Martin, Cynthia Madansky and Mandy McIntosh.

Discography

Solo studio albums

*"Something Out There" (1987) No Man's Land
*"Nightmare Alley" (1993) Table of the Elements
*"Mouth=Maul=Betrayer" (1996) Tzadik Records
*"No Way Back" (1998) Atavistic
*"Necklace" (2006) Tzadik

Video

*"April in New York" - Bobby Previte (2007) Independent

Notes

References

* John Jasperse Company, "Misuse liable to prosecution", program for performance October 18–October 20 at On The Boards, Seattle, Washington, a co-production with the Brooklyn Academy of Music, commissioned in part by Symphony Space (NYC).

ee also

*Front Porch Productions, artist representation for Zeena Parkins

External links

* [http://www.zeenaparkins.com/ Zeena Parkins] , official site.
** [http://www.zeenaparkins.com/html/mainframe/works.html Zeena Parkins: Works] , official site.
*amg | id = 11:nl5e8qnbbtv4 | label = Zeena Parkins.
* [http://home.arcor.de/nyds-exp-discogs/parkins.htm Zeena Parkins discography] .