Pam & Jon, July 23 on Argosy Cruise

Jason Parker Quartet Argosy Lady MaryOne great thing about being surrounded by so much water is the ability to have celebrations on boats! Thanks to Pam and Jon we had the pleasure of playing on Argosy Cruise’s “Lady Mary” on Friday evening.

It was a picture-perfect night to be on the water, with clear skies, warm temperatures and a nice cool breeze once we got sailing. The ceremony itself was planned for the moment the sun set, with beautiful views of Mt. Rainier to one side and downtown Seattle to the other. I can’t remember a more magical setting for a wedding!

Jason Parker Quartet Argosy Lady MaryWe had a wonderful time playing for Pam & Jon and their family and friends. We also took advantage of the beautiful setting to truly remind us what a spectacular part of the country we live in!

Yesterday I got a lovely email from Pam, who remarked, “You were fantastic at our wedding! Your quartet was perfect, just like the weather.” Now that’s what I like to hear!

Sarah & Gabe, July 22 @ Port Gamble

View from the bandstand - not too shabby!
View from the bandstand - not too shabby!

We had the pleasure of playing at Sarah & Gabe’s wedding in Port Gamble this past weekend. I’ve driven through Port Gamble many times on my way to Port Townsend and always loved this cute little waterfront town on the Hood Canal, but this is the first time I ever stopped there. I’m so glad I did! It’s a quaint town that has a very relaxed feel to it. And gorgeous views from just about anywhere!

Sarah & Gabe were married in the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion, which definitely lives up to its name! Josh and I played the ceremony and then Evan and Adam joined us for the reception and dinner. This was a fairly intimate wedding and all of their family and friends were very good to us. A couple guests even asked for CD’s, which is always a good sign!

Josh, Evan & Adam hard at work
Josh, Evan & Adam hard at work

We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world and I love to find new and undiscovered places to play and enjoy the scenery. Thanks to Sarah & Gabe for the excuse to finally stop in Port Gamble…I’ll definitely be back! If you’re looking for a gorgeous waterfront option for your wedding, definitely check them out!

Jason Parker Trio at Gage Academy of Art

jason parker quartet gage academy of artWe had the real pleasure of playing at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle the other night for their “Best of Gage” celebration. D’Vonne was on tour with another band so Josh, Evan and I played as a trio and had people dancing and enjoying the tunes while they perused the art on display. It’s always inspiring to be around art of any kind, and the students at Gage are really talented!

Thanks to Lauren and all at the Academy for having us, and for making up this extra spiffy signage! Also, thanks to Matt Brown of Things That Are Brown for the nice photo of the trio above.

gage

Sharon & Mark’s Wedding – Sorrento Hotel

Jason Parker Quartet Sorrento HotelSharon & Mark had a beautiful wedding at the Sorrento Hotel. It was a small wedding, and as a nice touch, the bride went around the room and introduced each guest, telling how she knew them and telling funny stories. It was a great personal touch.

I met with the happy couple a few weeks before the big day to discuss the music, and it was clear that Mark was the jazz fan. He had all sorts of questions about the music, the instrumentation, my business and how I can make a living as a musician. It was great to talk to them, and in the end they basically said “just do what you do”, which I always love to hear! They had seen us perform in the clubs and knew what we were about!

Thanks to Lynda Burgan of Blue Moon Memories Photography for the beautiful photo above!

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
The Happy Couple
Josh & Jason
Josh & Jason
Isn't He Adorable??
Isn't He Adorable??