Erica & Brian’s Wedding
Erica & Brian were married at one of my favorite venues, The Canal. Located in Ballard along the water, this is a gorgeous facility and a wonderful backdrop for a wedding.
This was a small wedding in number, but big on joy! The whole day, from the setting up to the last goodbyes, was filled with laughter, joy and dancing. Erica & Brian had come to see us perform and knew that we brought some serious joy to our performances as well, and told me they just wanted us to do our thing! I love couples like that. And we did. We had a wonderful time playing our favorite jazz standards and even threw in a couple original tunes as well.
There were many small children at this wedding, and a few of them danced almost all afternoon!
Here are a few beautiful pictures from Red Fish Blue Fish Photography:
The Happy Couple
Josh & Jason
Isn't He Adorable??
Katie & Tripp’s Wedding
We had the great pleasure of playing for a beautiful young couple, Katie & Tripp, this weekend. The wedding took place at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, in the heart of Western Washington’s wine country. Being December, the winery was decked out in Christmas garb, with a huge tree, candles and lovely decorations all around. What a nice backdrop for a wedding!
Katie & Tripp were gorgeous and their family and friends all seemed to think they are the perfect couple. I have no reason to think otherwise. They seemed calm and perfectly in tune throughout our meetings beforehand and even on the big day. Their pastor was someone who had known Tripp for a while, and he performed a heart-felt and personal ceremony, telling stories and laughing the whole way through.
They hired us to provide the music for both the ceremony and reception, and Katie really wanted a violin for the ceremony. I contacted my friend Janet, who plays in the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra, Bellevue Philharmonic, Northwest Symphony Orchestra and substitutes with Northwest Sinfonietta. She and pianist Mack Grout played absolutely gorgeous versions of “Ave Maria”, Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and Handel’s “Hornpipe” during the ceremony. Then the band was joined by our favorite vocalist Katrina Kope for the reception. Every time we play with Katrina I get so many compliments on her voice and her singing. She really knows how to wow a crowd!
The whole evening was wonderful and I thank Katie, Tripp and their family and friends for being so good to us and allowing us to be a part of their big day.
I hope to have pictures soon from Sarah Craig Photography to post.
JPQ Featured at Get Hitched, Give Hope Blog!
Thanks to Laurel McConnell and all the folks at Get Hitched, Give Hope for making the JPQ the featured vendor on their blog today! We can’t wait to play at this wonderful soiree in a couple months. Get your tickets now and hob-nob with the finest wedding vendors in Seattle.
Susannah & Rob’s Wedding
We spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon (Fathers’ Day) with Susannah and Rob at Golden Gardens for their wedding. They were two of the most easy-going soon-to-be-married’s I’ve worked with and their family and friends were much the same. The day was a tad cloudy but it stayed dry the whole time and a good time was had by all. This was a fun crowd that liked to dance, and we were happy to oblige. We were joined by the lovely and talented Katrina Wible on vocals who wowed them all day, as she usually does, with her blend of jazz standards and R&B classics. Here’s a few photos I snapped:
Katrina gives a dancing lesson
Gotta love a crowded dancefloor
But nothing beats dancing barefoot on the beach!
Anna & Alfredo’s Wedding
We had an absolutely wonderful time at Anna & Alfredo’s wedding this past Saturday at Top of the Market. It was one of those sunny Springtime days in Seattle where everything seems to be just right with the world. What a great day to be married!
I had the pleasure of playing with Darrius Willrich on piano and Evan Flory-Barnes on bass. Evan is the regular bassist in my Quartet and it’s always a treat to play with him. I’ve known Darrius for years and we’ve played together a bunch, but it had been a while. He’s an incredible piano player and the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. I was glad to have the chance to spend the evening with him. This is one smokin’ trio, if I do say so myself!
Anna and Alfredo came to our recent show at Tula’s and told me that they just wanted us to be ourselves and do what we do, which is always nice to hear. They did have a few requests, however, which turned out to be great ones! For their recessional, for instance, they had us play “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles. It’s always a challenge to take a well-know song from outside the jazz genre and do it justice. But it’s a challenge I love! And that song is so simple yet so beautiful that all we really had to do was play it straight and it worked out great. The bigger challenge was learning Jim Croce’s “Time In a Bottle”. Of course I’ve heard this song countless times, but I never paid too much attention to it until Anna asked if this could be their first dance. I take first dances very seriously, and wanted to create an arrangement that would be remembered by all in attendance. It took me a while, but the response was incredible, and I think we will add this song to our regular repertoire!
Top of the Market is a gorgeous place to have a wedding, with stunning views of Puget Sound. The staff took great care of us and was very complimentary about our music. The bartender told me she was thrilled to have such a great live band and not another cheesy DJ!
Thanks to Anna & Alfredo for including us in their big day.
Kathryn Krogstad was the photographer for the wedding and some of her beautiful shots:
Beth & Chad’s Beautiful Wedding
We had the pleasure of celebrating Beth & Chad’s wedding last night at Ray’s Boathouse in Ballard. I met with them at their house about a month ago and they immediately felt like friends. They are warm and welcoming, and we talked about weddings, music, living in Seattle and their new kitty Gus. Beth was extremely organized and a pleasure to work with and told me that they just wanted us to do our thing, which is always great to hear.
So last night Josh, D’Vonne, Evan and I were joined by the lovely Katrina Wible on vocals. Katrina is one of my favorite singers in town because she’s a true musician, and she can sing just about anything, from Ella Fitzgerald to Stevie Wonder and everything in between! Check out her band Soul Kata for some great tunes.
Everyone at the wedding was just as nice as the happy couple themselves, and we received many great compliments. The best was from the mother of the bride, who told me that they’ve had 4 weddings for their 3 children and we’re the best band of them all! Once the dance floor was opened up it was crowded all night long.
Big thanks to Kaycee Parker of Parker Events and her assistant Tali for a great job coordinating the evening. Kaycee is a pro and kept everything running smoothly and calmly all night long. And I had the pleasure of meeting a new photographer, Ashwin Rao, who takes gorgeous pictures. He and his assistant Chris were fun and lively, and got some amazing shots of the band. All the photos you see here are Ashwin’s. He’s is a full-time sports medicine physician, and only shoots a handful of weddings each year, but if you’re lucky to hire him you won’t be disappointed. You can view a slide show of his photos of the JPQ and Katrina here.
Thanks also to the staff at Ray’s for taking such good care of us. I had an amazing plate of Gnocchi for dinner!
My Chet Baker Moment
I had the pleasure of working with photographer Michael Riedel at the Waterfront Bridal Show last weekend. He’s an incredible talent not only as a photographer but as a digital retoucher as well, having recently been award a Guru Award from PhotoshopWorld. He was there photographing a model named Veronica for the make-up artist Illusions by Melanie. He ask if he could take some shots of the two of us and I said of course! I felt like Chet Baker in one of those old William Claxton photos. I hope to post more of these beautiful shots soon.
Waterfront Bridal Show
Josh and I have been invited to play and exhibit at the Waterfront Bridal Show on the famed Skansonia Ferry Boat on Lake Union in Seattle. The show takes place this Sunday, February 22nd from 11:00-3:00 and will feature many of the area’s finest and most sought-after wedding vendors and professionals. If you’re planning your wedding, please come join us for some great music and a chance to chat up the people who just might be your perfect caterer, photographer, baker, officiant, etc…
Lisa Dupar Catering Open House
Josh and I had the pleasure of playing at the Lisa Dupar Company open house last night and had a blast. Lisa, Jonathan and Co. have a beautiful production kitchen in Issaquah, and each year they open it up to their friends, clients and prospective clients for a bash. Having the party in their kitchen is a great touch, as attendees get to see where it all happens. Of course, the food was amazing! There were bites of everything from Potato Latkes with Spinach and Sour Cream to Chorizo Corn Dogs to Tongue Tacos! And Jonathan’s desserts were spectacular, as always, with just a hint of Valentine’s flair. It was great to see old friends like Lisa from Seattle Hospitality, Kaycee from Parker Events, Josh from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Jacky from Event Success as well as meet some great new friends. Thanks to Lisa, Jonathan and the whole Dupar crew for a wonderful evening. If you’re looking for a caterer for your wedding or event, do check them out.
Lisa Dupar Catering Open House
If you’re planning your wedding and haven’t yet settled on a caterer, you should be sure to check out Lisa Dupar Catering. One of Seattle’s top caterers for 25 years, Lisa and her team are wildly talented, creative, and a pleasure to work with. Each year they open the doors of their huge kitchen in Issaquah to clients, friends and brides and grooms and put out an amazing spread. This year they have asked pianist Josh Rawlings and me to provide the music for the event, held on February 12th. Visit their web page today and contact them if you’d like to attend.
Seattle Wedding Show
We had a great time playing at the Seattle Wedding Show yesterday at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. We played two sets in the registration area and got a chance to showcase our talents, meet dozens of brides-to-be (and some husbands-to-be as well), and even saw some old friends. It was nice to run into Jeff & Rhiannon from The Amazing 88s Show, the finest dueling-piano show you will ever see. We had the pleasure of playing at their wedding last summer and hit it off because we’re all musicians and Wedding Professionals. I also saw Annette Lefebvre from Luxe Wedding Design and my dear old friend Martha who was at the show with a friend who’s daughter is getting married. It was like old home week!
Big thanks to my wonderful band Josh, Evan and D’Vonne for always playing so beautifully and enthusiastically. Thanks also to the Seattle Musicians’ Association for setting it all up for us.
Get Hitched, Give Hope
We were honored and thrilled to be a part of Get Hitched, Give Hope, a wonderful wedding event and fundraiser for the Making Memories Foundation at Seattle’s Arctic Club Hotel. The Dome Room was spectacular, the vendors and attendees were dressed to the 9’s, and the event raised $30,000 for terminally ill breast cancer patients. Thanks to Kelly Simants from Sweet Pea Events, Michelle Loretta from mmm…paper and all of the other organizers for throwing such an amazing event and including the JPQ! Click here to read the recap and check out the beautiful pictures from my good friend Jeff LaPlante.
Joseph Bizar’s Bar Mitzvah – March 8, 2008
We had the pleasure of sharing Joseph Bizar’s Bar Mitzvah with Joe and the family this Saturday. We have a great time playing at bar mitzvahs, and this one was no different. The thing that always strikes me is how into the band and the music the kids always are. Especially the younger ones who sit, with the mouth’s agape, watching Josh Rawlings tear it up on a solo, or Adam Kessler work the brushes, or Nate Omdal hold down the bottom end. There was one particular boy who basically plopped himself down in Josh’s lap and played the piano just about anytime he felt like it! That’s when the need for music education is never more apparent, and the absence of it never more acutely felt. If you want to do your part to bring music and arts education as a whole to kids who have been deprived of it through their schools, please visit The Right Brain Center for the Arts to see how you can help.
Joseph’s mother’s family arrived early to set up the room at McCormick& Schmick’s Harborside. The traditional colors blue and white were featured prominently, as was the stunning view of Lake Union. When the bulk of the guests arrived we were already in full swing. This particular rhythm section is also Josh’s regular trio, and they have been playing together for years. I love playing with them and getting to experience their connection and chemistry from the inside. When I let Josh take over for a trio feature, he picked his composition, “Today or Tomorrow”, which is featured on both of our latest CDs in differnt versions. Click here to hear the JPQ’s version, and here for the JR3’s.
We had a couple of family members sit in when we played “Heiveinu Shalom Aleichem”, one on flute and one on drums. That brought the house down, as usual. We also got to break out “Hava Nagila” and “If I Were a Rich Man”, which was a request by the father of the bar mitzvah. Nate and I had just recorded our own hybrid versions of two of those tunes for my newest project Clave Nagila, which pairs traditional Jewish melodies with latin rhythms.
Bar Mitzvahs are a joyous occasion, and I have fond memories of mine. My goal at that time was to play in the Stanford Marching Band. At the reception, my father, who worked at Stanford at the time, pulled out my trumpet, and in came the band, and I got to play with them! My dad had set the whole thing up long ago, even bringing home sheet music from one of his advisee’s who was in the band a year earlier! It was one of the coolest moments of this band geek’s childhood! And the only time I ever got to play with the band mind you…by the time I applied for college, Stanford wouldn’t have anything to do with me…
I received this nice note from Dave Bizar:
“Everyone had a great time. The entire day went well and was a very happy day for the family. The music was excellent and I heard many compliments from my guests regarding you and the group.
All the best,
Dave”
The event, including this photo, was shot by photographer Peter Kearns. He takes beautiful photos, and I hope to have a few more to post here soon.
Bea & Nate – January 5, 2008
Sometimes couples tell me about their “non-traditional” ideas for their wedding, and I have to roll my eyes, either because they are so far out that I can’t even picture it, or they are just not that far off the beaten path. However, when I met with Bea & Nate last fall, and they told me their wedding was going to be “baseball themed”, I couldn’t wait! My only fear was that they wouldn’t commit to the theme fully.
Those fears were unfounded! This was truly one of the most fun and unique weddings I’ve seen, and I’ve seen lots over the last 7 years. Bea and Nate went all the way, from tables named after famous ballparks, to snowglobes of those parks marking each table, to a baseball bat for people to sign as their guest book. It was all there! Ironically, the Seahawks playoff game was on in one of the side rooms, but we’ll forgive them that mixed metaphor, especially because of the personalized bobble head dolls!
The reception took place at Tibbetts Creek Manor in Issaquah, which is a beautiful country home on 3 acres of parkland. Bea looked absolutely gorgeous in a red-trimmed strapless dress, and her daughter had a matching dress as well. Nate was very dapper in a black tux with red vest and tie to match his bride.
Joining me on the band were my longtime partners in crime Josh Rawlings on piano and Donovan Pfeifer on drums, and the bassist from my new CD, Evan Flory-Barnes. The boys played great, and stepped up to play inspired versions of the Father/Daughter/Mother/Son dance “Sunrise, Sunset”, and the best first dance we’ve ever been asked to play, “Take Me Out To the Ball Game”. Yes, Bea & Nate went the extra mile for their theme!
I have to make special mention of the fabulous band Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana that kicked off the reception in style. These guys are old-school, traditional Mariachi music at its finest, and we were thrilled to meet them and a little apprehensive having to follow them! They set the tone for the whole evening, and I highly recommend them if you are ever in need of Mariachi music.
Thanks also go out to Kelly and Kristen of Sweet Pea Events, who coordinated the whole afternoon. The event ran smoothly, on time and seamlessly thanks to all their hard work and planning. It was a pleasure to work with them for the first time, and I hope we’ll get to do so again.
I received this nice email from Bea:
“Hi Jason!
OMG you guys are wonderful! I had a blast and everyone couldn’t stop talking about you and the Marachi band! I’ve already passed your contact information to a few relatives and friends who asked about you. SO yay!!! I just wish someone was there to record our first dance because honestly..it was the best version of Take me out to the ballgame ever!! Opening day will never be the same for us!
Take care!
Bea and Nate Hoover”
And Kelly from Sweet Pea Events had this to say:
“The fabulous Jason Parker Quartet played an awesome jazz rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” for Bea and Nate’s first dance! This was a surprise to everyone and guests got such a kick out of it, as did Bea and Nate as they had so much fun dancing to one of their favorite tunes! Jason and his fellow musicians are extremely talented, very personable, and love what they do – if you haven’t heard them yet, be sure to check our their website and find out where you can hear them playing next in Seattle!”
Carrie & Chris – July 14, 2007
Carrie and Chris got married on Bastille Day, but there were no battles. It was a glorious event at The Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland. We were there to provide music for the cocktail hour only, so we were in and out pretty quickly. But it was beautiful playing while looking across Lake Washington back toward Seattle.
I also got to meet Blair DeLaubenfels from Postitive Light Photograhy, who is also one of the principals at Junebug Weddings. It’s always cool to put a face to a name.
Stephanie & Jeffrey – July 6, 2007
The Edgewater Hotel is famous for a lot of things…it’s proximity to the Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market, it’s stunning views, and it’s history with The Beatles, who stayed there during their 1964 tour of America. It is now also famous for hosting the JPQ at Stephanie and Jeffrey’s wedding!
We played to a background of the Puget Sound, and after dinner it really became a party! The toasts, however, were the highpoint of the evening. Both fathers made great speaches that were at once touching and hilarious. The bridesmaids cried through theirs, and the best man gave us all sorts of juicy tidbits from Jeffrey’s life. But it was Jeffrey’s own speach that had everyone in stitches. I don’t remember a groom actually toasting at his own wedding before, but he did a fantastic job.
We were joined by the wonderful Ty Bailie on piano, who is one of the funkiest and friendliest guys I know. It’s always a treat to play with Ty!
And as a special bonus, my good friend Jeff LaPlante was the photographer for the evening. I met Jeff at a wedding show last year and we became fast friends. He is an amazing photographer and a super nice guy, and it was cool to run into him again. Check his blog for some gorgeous photos of the event.
The whole crowd was appreciative all night, and I got this from Jeff the day after: “Everyone has been commenting about what a wonderful job you and your band did. Thank you very much for the wonderful performance. If you ever need a reference or anything, please do not hesitate to contact us. Great work!!”
Blair & Casey – June 23, 2007
Somehow I had never been to Kiana Lodge near Poulsbo before, but I’m sure glad I had the chance! Blair & Casey’s wedding was absolutely gorgeous. Aside from the location, the best thing about this wedding was that even though everyone was dressed to the nine’s and looked fabulous, there was a very informal air to the proceedings. We were set up too far away from the ceremony to hear what was going on, but there was a lot of laughing and joking and carrying on. It truly had the air of a fun celebration.
I had the pleasure of playing with guitarist George Stone, who I don’t get to play with enough these days. George is a wonderful 7-string guitarist and a super nice guy. We got caught up on the ride over. Also joining us was the legendary Frank Clayton on bass, who has played with everyone from Jay Clayton to Charles Mingus to Barry Harris and Jovino Santos Neto. It was a thrill to have such a Jazz veteran on the gig with us.
Blair was kind enough to send me this note after the big day: “Thanks for your kind note and for your great music on Saturday. People said wonderful things about your music. Too bad we were off doing pictures and couldn’t enjoy – so we’ll just have to come see you perform another time. Thanks again – and best wishes.”
Emily & Jeremy -June 22, 2007
Emily & Jeremy were married earlier this year in a very small ceremony, but decided to throw a bit ol’ party for their friends and family at Laurel Creek Manor in Sumner.
It was a beautiful night, and I was joined by my partner-in-music Josh Rawlings on piano, Nate Omdal on bass and D’Vonne Lewis on drums. Sumner turns out to be a long drive from Seattle, but once we got there it was all worth it. The Manor is beautiful, and Al, Lauren and their crew were great hosts all night long. We played out on the terrace and got the people dancing under the stars.
Perhaps the funniest part of the day was stopping at a gas station in Sumner to get some water and lunch. We walked in in our black suits and ties and got the strangest stares! I don’t think the city of Sumner was expecting a recreate of Reservoir Dogs on a Saturday morning!
The following day I got this nice note from Diane Ridgeway, the wedding coordinator: ” I wanted to thank you and your men for your professionalism – you were great to work with Love the music and your talent! I have your card and will refer you, if you don’t mind! It would be great to work together again.”
Junebug Weddings!
The Jason Parker Quartet is proud to join the Junebug Weddings family! Junebug was founded by 3 Seattle area photographers and has grown into one of the leading wedding sites for Seattle brides. We are now featured in the Live Music section. Visit them today for all your wedding planning needs.
Krista & Brook – September 20, 2006
I first met with Krista and her mother Mary Kay back in May. They came to my house to discuss Krista and Brook’s wedding with K&B’s adorable son Tylan in tow. Tylan kept himself busy (and Mary Kay, too!) while Krista and I went over the details.
She may not believe this, but Krista is one of the most prepared brides I’ve worked with. She had a book she was working out of to help her plan the ceremony, and by the time the wedding rolled around, had a three-page schedule all typed out with music cues and everything! She and Mary Kay put all the music they wanted for the ceremony on their iPod, and I sat pushing buttons behind the scenes, taking my visual cues from Sheri Nohle, Wedding Coordinator extraordinaire, and proprietor of Fleur de Lis Events. This was the first time I worked with Sheri, and I can’t say enough good things about her. She kept everything rolling and on track all evening long, and made my job much easier. If you’re looking for someone to help coordinate your wedding, I can’t recommend Sheri enough.
The wedding was at the Clise Mansion in Marymoor Park, which is a wonderful backdrop for a wedding. The set-up was a bit strange, and for dinner, we were playing in a different room, but it all went off without a hitch. After dinner the party moved into the reception room, where we were playing, and we got a few people on the dance floor! There was a young boy there, probably middle-school age, who kept requesting great songs like “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t got that Swing” and “Watermelon Man”. Krista & Brook had requested that we play “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” for their first dance, which is such a great song, and the first time we’ve been asked to play it.
Krista had asked me to MC for the evening, which I’m always happy to do. I was able to help the buffet line move smoothly by calling out the tables one at a time, and that seemed to work really well. This meant leaving the band alone for much of dinner, which was actually kind of nice for me because I got to listen to them play…and hot diggity did they sound good! It’s an honor to play with such fine musicians night after night.
I want to give huge thanks to Tim Kennedy for filling in on keys while Josh was playing a wedding with his other band. Tim is an amazing player, and a super nice guy, and it was an honor and a pleasure to have him in the band for a night…I hope we’ll get the chance to do it again! He is also very animated when he plays, and had all the little girls in rapt attention the whole night!
Krista’s cousin Bryan took photos and said he’d send me some, so I’ll post as soon as they arrive.
Susan & Keith – July 22nd, 2006
On what might very well have been the hottest day of the summer, we had the pleasure of playing for Susan & Keith at Susan’s parent’s beautiful home in Sammamish. The setting could not have been better, as the house backs up on some wetlands, and no neighbors are in view from the property. Despite the wilting temperatures, a good time was had by all!
It was quite a large affair, and gorgeously appointed in greens and whites. Susan looked fabulous, as did Keith in his tux, cowboy boots and hat (don’t mess with Texas!).
Josh, Troy and I were joined by Brad Papineau on drums, as Donovan was home taking care of the twins. We set up on the corner of the deck, overlooking the yard where the tent was set up. An old family friend joined us for a nice rendition of “All The Things You Are”, and we even had one of Keith’s nieces’ sing “Texas, Oh Texas!”.
I received this nice note from Susan: “Just a quick note upon return from our honeymoon to thank you so much for making our wedding such a success. You and the band were wonderful and we couldn’t be happier!! We appreciate it so much. We hope you are well and we will be sure to recommend you to others!!!”
All photos by Laura & Scott Schoeggl of Wallflower Photography.
