During a regular gig as a leader at Augie's, he began minimizing his drum set, learning to play entire sets using just a cymbal. He made his recording debut with Harvie Swartz, toured with Sheila Jordan and gigged with Kenny Barron. Parker spent 1989 with his wife Lisa (a flutist), playing throughout Spain and Portugal. Back in New York, he became part of the regular band at the Village Gate. The colorful drummer toured and recorded with Dewey Redman, worked with David Sanchez and was part of the Jacky Terrasson Trio in the mid-1990s. Leon Parker has thus far recorded as a leader for Epicure and Columbia, issuing Awakening for the latter in 1998.
-- By Scott Yanow, AllMusic Guide--