Jason Parker Quartet
for info and a rate quote., Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Sept. 2004
for infomation on our upcoming gigs.
The Jason Parker Quartet plays what I call Modern Traditional Jazz. We're definitely in the tradition, but trying to put our own, modern stamp on it.
We play standards and originals, and have recorded one CD, called "Finally". We will be recording again before the end of the year, so check back for brand new mp3's soon.
The Jason Parker Quartet is:
Jason Parker - Trumpet / Flugelhorn
Matt Perry - Piano
Troy Kendrick - Bass
Daniel Carvalho - Drums
(Special Guests include: Matt Hagele, vox/bass; Laura Etling, vox; Jack Hunden, piano; Brad Twait, sax; Donovan Pfeifer, drums; Todd Reid, drums; Brad Papineau, drums)
Check out my web page, , for more details.
And thanks for stopping by!
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
The Jason Parker Quartet came together at the tail end of 2001 for a recording project that was supposed to be a one-off. But the members had such instant rapport that it was clear by the end of the day that this band would continue well past its initial mission.
Since then, the JPQ has been honing its craft by playing in most of the great Jazz rooms in Seattle, including a spot on the Mainstage at the inaugural West Seattle Jazz Festival, which it shared with Seattle Jazz luminaries such as Don Lamphere, Greta Matassa, Buddy Catlett and Susan Pascal.
Recorded in November of 2002 was JPQ’s first full-length CD entitled Finally! The title comes from a tune written by the band at a rehearsal and is one of 4 original tunes on the disc. The JPQ is committed to furthering the Jazz tradition with its own compositions, and each member of the group has contributed tunes and/or arrangements to the band’s book.
Along with its originals, the JPQ is also committed to finding fresh ways to interpret many of the standards of the Jazz canon. The band always tries to bring something new to its readings of standards by the great composers of the idiom, including Porter, Shorter, the Gershwins, Gillespie, Parker (Charlie, that is), Rogers/Hart/Hammerstein, Davis, Silver, Monk, Mingus and more.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
We play all around the Seattle area. Seattle is a fantastic music town with lots of different styles of jazz being played. Come check it out!
Your musical influences
My trumpet idols are too many to mention, but include Lee Morgan, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Art Farmer, Dusko Goykovich...
What equipment do you use?
Ah, equipment! I'm a geek, I freely admit it.
Right now I own two trumpets, a 1946 Martin Committee and a Selmer-Paris Concept TT. I love them both for different reasons. The Martin has that dark, wet sound one associates with most of the people who played this horn. The Concept TT, on the other hand, sings and rings and stings, and I've never played a more open, razor-sharp horn. Great for lead and commercial work.
My flugel horn is a Couesnon, which I'm guessing is from the 70's, but I can't be sure. It has that signature French "Queenie" sound. I love it!
I have been using the Warburton Mouthpiece System for my trumpets for a while now, and the two combinations I've settled on are the 4SV/Q and 4MD/KT*. The former is tight and small, the latter is looser and deeper. I've also been experimenting with GR Mouthpieces for lead. I bought an e65S/GG and an e65MS/GG that I'm messing around with.
For the flugel, I currently use a Schilke 14F4.
