Saxophonist Duane Parham is one of Detroit’s most beloved jazz artists. He is recognized as an innovator, visionary, and top performer in Smooth Jazz, R&B and Gospel Music. Born and raised in Detroit, MI, Duane’s latest project includes releasing a CD of the Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell song “Your Precious Love,” featuring Vocalist Tammy (Trele) Davis. That song will be on an upcoming album entitled “Sugar Melts” featuring The Four Tops and The Contours. Most of us remember Detroit City is Coming Back, a song that reaches across racial, ethnic, and political lines, and promotes the Motor City nationally and internationally. To accomplish this goal, Producer Parham assembled over 200 outstanding musicians, whose sole purpose was to record and proactively offer the song as a musical way to lift the spirit of Detroit, promote citizen awareness, unity, and help the city move forward. Prior to that, Duane delivered a Mo-Jazz tribute to Motown Records with a CD entitled Motor City Sax Appeal: My Tribute to the Motown Legends, with guest appearances by The Four Tops, The Miracles, The Contours, The Original Vandellas, Pat Lewis, Carolyn Crawford and five-time Grammy award winner Michael J. Powell. Producers of the CD were Carl “Butch” Small and Maurice Whitsett.
Parham, teacher and minister of music, is the recipient of five Mayoral Proclamations of Achievement from Mayors Coleman A. Young, Dennis W. Archer and Dave Bing of Detroit along with Mayor Martha G. Scott of Highland Park, for accomplishments in the development of Music Arts and his outstanding contribution to the progress of both communities. He also received the Spirit of Detroit Award from the Honorable Mayor Dave Bing for producing and arranging Dream Detroit and the documentary, The Unsung of the Motown Empire. |