Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — For more 25 years, fans of the legendary saxophone player Maceo Parker have been grooving to his rhythm and blues beats, swaying to his contemporary jazz sound and dancing to his hard driving funk rhythms.

For the first time in 2001, Parker comes to the Sheraton Grand Ballroom in Steamboat Springs at 8 p.m. Feb. 4 to show those fans just how well he can still blow that horn. He'll be playing some of his new hits from his April 2000 release "dial M.A.C.E.O."

Parker's successful career has been partnered with legends such as James Brown and Parliament Funk, or P-Funk. On his latest album, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor and Prince accompany this founding father of funk. On his "Southern Exposure" album, Parker paired with the New Orleans band The Rebirth Brass Band, who played at The Cellar Lounge two weeks ago.

After joining the back-up entourage of James Brown's ensemble in 1964, Parker left for the military for a short time, only to reunite with the Godfather of Soul. In 1970, Parker borrowed Brown's orchestra and created Maceo & All the King's Men. For years to follow, Parker rolled back and forth between building his own style and creating a legend within himself, to joining Brown and his funky grooves.

After 16 years partnered with various artists and legends, Parker became a legend himself and released "Roots Revisited," an album that stayed No. 1 on the Billboard jazz charts for almost 10 weeks.

While touring and recording since then, Parker describes his music as "2 percent jazz, 98 percent funky stuff." He has played at numerous jazz festivals all over the world - small, medium and large venues that still garner rave reviews.

Joe Kboudi, owner of All That Jazz, said Parker's last two free concerts in September have been off the wall. Children, young adults and the over 30 crowd dance and enjoy his style, Kboudi said.

"He's funky, he's fun, he's got an upbeat tempo and he plays great saxophone," Kboudi said.

The majority of his funky beats has made his sound more acid jazz-like now, Kboudi said. With a full band of other horns, Parker gets people on their feet with good energy.

Kboudi said All That Jazz has a good selection of tickets for sale up until the show, for those last minute planners. Mount Werner Total and Gondola Square Sports Stalker also have tickets at $22 for those 21 and older. Parker is presented by Great Knight/Avalanche Productions.