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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:

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Beth & Chad’s Beautiful Wedding

3396538564_c6a9b9c97eWe 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!

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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…

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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.