Biography
Boston guitarist and vocalist Peter Parcek channels a lifetime of immersion in multiple blues traditions, gypsy-jazz, rock, funk, and country into his own approach to the instrument, which he calls soul guitar. Rising through the local blues scene, he took part in numerous ensembles and at one point served as leader of Pinetop Perkins’ band. Early touring found him supporting the Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Charlie Musselwhite, while his own road work took him across several continents both alone and alongside the group Dragonfly. The New England Music Awards recognized his contributions on two occasions, naming him Blues Artist of the Year and Blues Audience Guitarist of the Year. His first solo recording appeared in 2000; subsequent releases include the 2017 album Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven and 2020’s Mississippi Suitcase.
Born in Middletown, Connecticut, Parcek lived in England during the second half of the 1960s, performing there as a blues harpist and singer and attending concerts by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Peter Green. Back in the United States he turned his attention to American stylists such as Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and Skip James, then moved to Boston, where he refined his technique. He soon joined the established blues outfit Nine Below Zero, an affiliation that led to his ’90s role directing the band behind pianist Pinetop Perkins. Parcek’s solo career began with 2000’s Evolution, a collection of his own material alongside songs associated with Freddie King and Mose Allison that featured guest appearances by Al Kooper and Ronnie Earl. The following year he teamed with Boston singer-songwriter Miki Singh to launch Dragonfly, a blues-rooted rock and pop ensemble that issued two albums and performed internationally over the next five years. His second solo album, The Mathematics of Love, arrived in 2009.
Steady live work allowed him to expand the range of his soul-guitar approach. An EP titled Pledging My Time appeared in 2011, followed six years later by the third solo full-length, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven. The decade’s next release, 2020’s Mississippi Suitcase, included contributions from keyboardist Spooner Oldham and harmonica player Mickey Raphael.
Born in Middletown, Connecticut, Parcek lived in England during the second half of the 1960s, performing there as a blues harpist and singer and attending concerts by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Peter Green. Back in the United States he turned his attention to American stylists such as Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and Skip James, then moved to Boston, where he refined his technique. He soon joined the established blues outfit Nine Below Zero, an affiliation that led to his ’90s role directing the band behind pianist Pinetop Perkins. Parcek’s solo career began with 2000’s Evolution, a collection of his own material alongside songs associated with Freddie King and Mose Allison that featured guest appearances by Al Kooper and Ronnie Earl. The following year he teamed with Boston singer-songwriter Miki Singh to launch Dragonfly, a blues-rooted rock and pop ensemble that issued two albums and performed internationally over the next five years. His second solo album, The Mathematics of Love, arrived in 2009.
Steady live work allowed him to expand the range of his soul-guitar approach. An EP titled Pledging My Time appeared in 2011, followed six years later by the third solo full-length, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven. The decade’s next release, 2020’s Mississippi Suitcase, included contributions from keyboardist Spooner Oldham and harmonica player Mickey Raphael.
Albums
