Born in the Ottakring district of Vienna, Parth grew up listening to traditional Viennese folk music, but was attracted to jazz records played by friends who were active in the Austrian resistance movement in the Second World War.
He also started acquiring a library of old jazz and blues 78 rpm records, and became keen to share them among fellow collectors and aficionados.
[1] Working with his then-wife Evelyn Hruby (1941–2016),[2] and inspired by discussions with Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records, he co-founded the Roots label.
Working with record collectors and music historians from around the world, the Roots label released about 60 LPs before folding in the 1970s.
Under Parth's supervision, Document's output became prolific, achieving its goal of re-issuing comprehensive sets of recordings of many early blues performers, and was also critically acclaimed.