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Preston Frazier: Tim, how are you?

Timothy Carman: I’m good. Happy to be here. Thanks for having me on.

Preston: Great to see you and talk about Parlor Greens ! Your debut, In Green We Dream (2024), was one of my favorites of the year. Now we’ve got Emeralds, your second release. Before we get into the record, can you share a little about how the band formed?

Tim: Sure. Our organ player, Adam Scone, likes to joke that we’re the “boy band of organ trios.” The band really came together through Terry Cole, who runs Colemine Records. About five years ago, I had been talking with Terry about doing an organ trio album, and he put me together with Jimmy James on guitar and Adam Scone on organ. All three of us had connections to Colemine in different projects, and that became Parlor Greens.

Preston: You’ve been in a few other bands too, right?

Tim: Yeah, I played in GA-20, a traditional blues band on Karma Chief Records, which is part of Colemine. I also started a 70s rock-inspired band called Canyon Lights with GA-20’s former singer. Right now, Parlor Greens and Canyon Lights are my main projects, and I also do session work and some touring with other groups.

Preston: How does your drumming style in Parlor Greens differ from the other bands?

Tim: My approach is rooted in traditional drum sounds from the 60s and 70s, always with a jazz perspective. Even in blues or early rock and roll, I’m channeling that—guys like Fred Below, Odie Payne Jr., or John Bonham, who all had that jazz influence. In Parlor Greens, I bring that same feel, letting it blend with Jimmy’s Memphis and Hendrix-influenced guitar and Scone’s deep organ jazz background.

Preston: How would you describe the band’s sound? I listed your first record on my “best rock” list rather than under jazz.

Tim: We’re a little hard to categorize! I like calling us a heavy instrumental soul group. There’s jazz, blues, early rock and roll—all mixed in. Jimmy brings that Steve Cropper and Hendrix energy, while Scone has deep roots in organ jazz, having played with legends like Lou Donaldson and Dr. Lonnie Smith. It’s really a blend of everything we love.

Preston: Let’s talk about Emeralds. How do the three of you write together?

Tim: We write almost entirely in the studio. For this album, recorded in two sessions in 2025, we’d start each morning in the studio and just create. Sometimes Scone had a melody idea, sometimes I’d start a groove or Jimmy would play a riff. We shape the songs on the spot, record them, and then review later to see what clicked. Playing live between sessions helped us refine some songs too.

Preston: I want to ask about a few specific tracks. First, “Letter to Brother Ben.”

Tim: That’s one Scone came in with. He was close friends with Ben Dixon, a legendary soul-jazz drummer, and we wanted to honor him. We approached it as a tight shuffle, kind of in the vein of Jabo Starks or Bobby Blue Bland. It took a few takes, but it came together beautifully.

Preston: “Eat Your Greens,” the first single?

Tim: That was inspired by Charles Earland’s Black Talk and Idris Muhammad’s drumming style. I put my own spin on that groove, Scone brought the melody, and Jimmy glued it all together with that killer opening riff.

Preston: “Mustard Sauce” is another fun one.

Tim: That one just appeared out of the ether. We were in the zone—almost hypnotic. It channels a bit of Idris Muhammad and Zigaboo Modeliste, with a simple form and breaks that make it funky.

Preston: “Francisco Smack” has such a lively drum part.

Tim: That’s probably the busiest drum part I’ve ever recorded! Lots of ghost notes and energy. It has a psychedelic, San Francisco flavor, which inspired the title.

Preston: The title track, “Emeralds”?

Tim: We first cut it in January, then played it live on tour. After that run, we re-recorded it because it had evolved. It starts with a boogaloo feel and opens up into a big soul section for Jimmy to shine. He still calls it “Dragon Fighter,” the working title!

Preston: And finally, “Queen of My Heart,” the closer.

Tim: That one is Jimmy’s tribute to his mother. He wrote it at her gravesite and had a dream about her before we recorded it. I played the drums with my hands to keep it delicate. It’s the heaviest, most emotional track on the album.

Preston: Incredible. Did you record more than the 11 songs we hear?

Tim: Yes, a few others didn’t make the cut. Sometimes we revisit those for later releases or singles.

Preston: For folks who want Emeralds, where can they find it?

Tim: Bandcamp, our website, or Colemine Records—vinyl, cassette, CD. The special vinyl bundle with the Parlor Greens hat already sold out!

Preston: Tim, thanks so much for joining me. Emeralds is a fantastic album.

Tim: Thank you for listening and for having me on!

Preston: What equipment do you use?

Tim: Here are the drum companies I endorse:

Bosphorus Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, Low Boy Custom Beaters, Prologix Percussion Practice Pads, Canopus Hardware/ accessories, Orthopedic Drum Thrones, and Reunion Blues Cymbal Cases.

Preston : What are your five favorite albums:

Tim: 

1.Big John Patton: “Capitol Vault Sessions”

2. Tom Petty (& The Heartbreakers): Tie between “Echo” “Full Moon Fever” “Highway Companion”

3. Funky Your Life: The Meters Anthology

4. Bobby Blue Bland “The Anthology”

5. Grant Green “Alive!” (Live)

Listen to the full interview and get Emeralds now on Bandcamp.