JEFF PARKER / The Way Out of Easy

The guitarist’s latest live set of exploratory, atmospheric jazz shares sensibilities with 2022’s Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy. The vibe is laid-back, but it rewards rapt attention.

Guitarist Jeff Parker, 57 years old and with a few dozen albums out in the world, is having a moment. Some of that energy comes from his association with the International Anthem label, both as a leader and a sideman. As was true with his work with Tortoise, Isotope 217, and other groups on Thrill Jockey in his early days, it’s a hometown imprint that specializes in a style of experimental music that reaches new audiences. And Parker’s playing style—probing and melodic, exploratory yet always coherent—endears him to the jazz-curious and old heads alike.