Paris Strother©Andrea Canter

"This young lady is very outstanding as a student, and is quite talented as one of [Berklee's] most gifted and professional pianists, whom I would not hesitate to place in the same category as I would Hiromi Uehara" ---Richard Evans, Berklee Professor, February 2006 

I wonder how much longer we'll be able to hear Paris Strother for a mere $5 cover? The recent Berklee graduate and her East Coast band ("Gentlemen") tore up the stage at the Dakota Sunday night, the final set going nearly two hours nonstop as the sextet (featuring guest trumpeter John Raymond) charged through a bevy of original tunes heavy on Latin and Afro-Caribbean beats, long on melodies, and high on energy. They're back for one last night at the Dakota on Tuesday, May 20th, before heading back to Boston. 

I first heard Paris Strother play the piano at the opening party for the “new” Dakota—the celebration of the club’s move to Nicollet Mall. Paris, who was also on the Dakota waitstaff as a high school senior at DeLasalle, played an opening set, warming up the audience for headliner Bobby Watson. She did a lot more than warm up the crowd—she nearly burned a hole in the new stage. Here was a 17-year-old playing with the verve of a young Oscar Peterson and the complex voicings of McCoy Tyner. Dakota owner Lowell Pickett recalls hearing Paris as a thirteen year-old kid at Walker West Music Academy and being blown away by her already mature chops. On May 10th, Paris graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston with a degree in music and a long resume of performance and composition accolades over her four-year program.

From Toddler Experiments to Berklee

Paris Strother, in Greece courtesy of Office of International Programs, Berklee

Paris has been playing piano most of her life and grew up hearing a wide range of music at home, including jazz: “I began experimenting on the piano when I was around two years old; I would listen to my dad play and then press the keys to imitate the sounds he was making. I remember always being intrigued by music in general, and playing by ear when I was a child was always something that interested and excited me.” Attending the Ramsey International Fine Arts Center of the Minneapolis Public Schools, Paris discovered her affinity for jazz performance through the school jazz band led by Tom Wells and through her discovery of Bill Evans’ tune, “Midnight Mood.” “Before then, I had taken theory, classical and gospel lessons, but the songs we played in that band seemed to hold my interest far more than any of the other styles I had played.” 

Rene Delfierro

Among her mentors, Paris cites Walker West instructor Felix James as her biggest influence from age fourteen. Others who have influenced Paris’ development include pianist Nachito Herrera (at the McPhail Center for Music) and saxophonist Dean Brewington (of Walker West); in fact it was Brewington who worked with Paris on her music reading skills to help her prepare for Berklee.   

Growing Up at Berklee

Four years at Berklee have gone by quickly. “There are so many things I have enjoyed about studying at Berklee,” says Paris, “but I suppose my favorite part of the whole experience could come down to the people I’ve met. Everyday here, in every class, in every hallway, you meet someone that shares the same basic interest in music as you. What’s fantastic about that is the diversity that each student has brought not only to the school but to the whole overall experience. We all come from different places all over the world, we play different instruments, we focus on different genres of music, and have different goals, but everyone contributes to this big melting pot that makes Berklee unique.” And at Berklee, Paris notes that she “grew up… I came to play better music, to read, write, to score better music, to produce and engineer better music. I leave understanding music, understanding life, understanding people, understanding the power we possess in this world as passionate patrons of the arts.”

What about the frequently expressed opinion that formal jazz education stifles individual expression? “First of all,” says Paris, “not many people pursue music only to play by themselves, and anytime you work with other people, you need to be able to express yourself not only musically but often times orally. Music is a language, and there are a lot of terms and ideas that are taught when you study that can be used to help facilitate playing with other people. Formal jazz education will also teach some of the history of the music, and of course, it’s so important to know where your music has come from to know where you’re going in it. I think it’s important to know the difference between what you do on your own and what you want to learn from others. I believe that it is necessary to both grow on your own, and to have guidance from someone who has been formally educated.  Formal jazz education can help you in learning how to recognize your own personal voice, and I believe that it never hurts to find out why people before you were successful in their craft… I believe that everything musical you come across makes you grow.”

Part of her growth, Paris recognizes, was the realization that she had talents and interests beyond jazz performance. “Within my first semester, I began finding joy in every single thing about music, and grew to learn that I have talents in many other areas as well. I can now honestly and proudly say that I arrange, compose and produce, and I can play any genre that comes my way. I played some of the biggest shows here at the school where I was required to play all types of music; reggae, hip-hop, folk,pop, Latin, funk, ska, gospel, r&b, even country, and I had to play them well. This definitely expanded my interests and opened up my eyes to the world of music… Being challenged daily at Berklee has made me grow into a much more well-rounded person.  I listen to everything now, and can find something I appreciate in any song.” 
 
Paris cites the semester in Athens as one of the highlights of her program at Berklee. “Musically, Philippos Nakas Conservatory teaches the regular Berklee core classes such as Harmony and Ear Training, but also unique courses that really allow the students to get a better glimpse of the history of the country through the music,” she wrote for Berklee’s website. “A group favorite, ‘Greece: Crossroads of Rhythm and Sound,’ teaches rhythms in mixed meters and the historical origins of the instruments. How many people do you know who can cite the difference between 4/4 and 16/16? Or recognize a 15/16 pattern when they hear one? It is these unique attributes of traditional Greek music that forge a lasting influence on every student who takes part in this program.” But it was not all classroom experience—in Athens, Paris performed with local musicians in bars and clubs, even forming her own Paris Strother Quartet.

And beyond Berklee? Says Paris, “My plan for the coming year is to establish myself as a film scorer and commercial writer. I’d love to break into that industry while I’m young and to gain as much as experience in it as possible. I’ll always play and have the ability to form and musically direct bands, but I believe that a lot of what I need to know about writing will come from on-the-job experience.”

Paris and Gentlemen, at the Dakota

Louis Cato

One of the benefits of her years at Berklee was the opportunity to play with young musicians from all over the world with diverse experiences. Her quintet, Paris and the Gentlemen, includes kindred musical spirits who, like Paris, discovered their muses early and have already focused for years on composing and performing: “My guitarist, Rene delFierro, is a fellow 2008 Berklee graduate and has a seriously impressive resume. From Half Moon Bay in Northern California, he began playing at a very early age and by the time he finished his college education had toured the world with Carlos Santana and Lauryn Hill.” Bassist Joshua Hari from Guadalajara Mexico established himself as an electric bassist in Oakland,CA. “He’s a fantastic player as well as musical director, and has toured with internationally renowned Hip-Hop artist Lyrics Born, Spaceheater, Albino!, and the Valerie Troutt Band. Some of his notable recent appearances include Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Bonnaroo Music Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Vienne Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival.” Paris will bring a percussionist from McAllen, TX, Jonathan Merla. “Jonathan began studies on traditional Mexican percussion instrument Mridangam with Srjii Bana Puvlar, and at the age of 12 discovered Latin percussion. He has played with many amazing artists such as Arlington Jones, Braylon Lacy, Erykah Badu, and Jaime Castandeda among others.” Drummer Louis Cato is a young man of many talents who Paris describes as “a truly phenomenal musician. He began his musical career at the age of 2, and not only is an accomplished drummer, but a bassist, vocalist, percussionist and guitarist as well. He has toured the world with Wyclef Jean, Hugh Masekela, Robin McKelle, Jojo, and Richard Smallwood among others.” 

Before her set on Sunday night, Paris promised that this band would be very different from her all-acoustic maintream performances of years past. Indeed! Be ready to plug in and take in the energy, the spontaneous combustion that occurs when youthful enthusiasm merges with serious talent. 

“I have decided that I will do anything musical that makes me happy--I get joy from working in every genre, any venue, doing anything, as long as at the end of the day I can say that my life is still all about music.  So ten years from now…I would like to be making a living from music, still performing, still writing, and still reaching out to the next new thing in music that will make me happy!” – Paris Strother 
 

Paris and Gentlemen will perform at the Dakota Jazz Club at 1010 Nicollet Mall, downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 20th, 7-11 pm. Reservations at 612-332-1010.