Jazz Music Is For Everyone

December 29, 2009

My wife recently emailed me a link to a blog post by Natalie Christie, The Tiny Soprano. Christie’s post is about learning and mastery and resonated with me as a musician. In this post was a link to a TED talk by Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, author and leadership expert. It is […]

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“Through Music We Can Get Enlightenment” – Inspiration from Playing for Change: Peace Through Music

December 22, 2009

I had heard about the documentary Playing for Change – Peace Through Music for some time, but only had the opportunity to watch it this past weekend. I’d been feeling sick and not sleeping well for a few days, and was pretty down on Sunday afternoon, when I found myself alone in the house on […]

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100 CD’s Project Update – CD’s Dropped in Munich, Germany!

December 20, 2009

Thanks to my friend Kai, who is a frequent commenter on this blog, copies of the Jason Parker Quartet CD “No More, No Less” have been left all around Munich, Germany! Kai agreed to be my accomplice in the 100 CD’s Project, and he and his wife Grace spent their Saturday placing my CD’s around […]

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I’m a Better Musician Because of the Company I Keep

December 19, 2009

This week I had two gigs that reminded me how fortunate I am to play with the folks I do. The first was Thursday night, when Clave Nagila played at Egan’s Ballard Jam House in Seattle. This is a project I started to blend Latin-jazz with the Jewish melodies I grew up singing at synagogue. […]

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100 CD’s Project Update – CD’s Are On The Way To Iraq!

December 17, 2009

My 100 CD’s Project takes a big leap into unknown territory thanks to my new friend SPC Garret. He read about the project and volunteered to be my accomplice at Camp Taji near Baghdad. Garret is going to place some JPQ CD’s around his FOB (Forward Operating Base) at the gym, and the MWR (Morale, […]

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House of Representatives Affirms Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue” as National Treasure. Does This Ring Hollow To Anyone Else?

December 16, 2009

Yesterday, by a vote of 409-0, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 894, a bill “Honoring the 50th anniversary of the recording of the album “Kind of Blue” and reaffirming jazz as a national treasure.” The bill goes on to affirm that the House: (1) honors the 50th anniversary of `Kind of Blue’ and […]

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10 Jazz Resources You Should Follow On Twitter

December 12, 2009

Back in October I wrote a blog post featuring 10 Jazz Musicians You Should Follow On Twitter. I promised that it would be the start of an “ongoing, if irregular, series”. So far it’s been more irregular than ongoing! Today I officially make the series ongoing, but with a twist. Instead of focusing on jazz […]

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Last Day of My Holiday Sale: Buy all Jason Parker Quartet CD’s and “Pay-What-You-Like”

December 11, 2009

All Jason Parker Quartet albums, including our newly released “No More, No Less”, have been on sale all week. Everyone who is on my mailing list got notice of the sale on Monday and have been taking advantage of it all week. Thanks to all who have grabbed copies so far. Today is the last […]

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Top 10 Seattle Jazz CD’s of 2009

December 10, 2009

The year-end lists are flooding in, and the jazz blogosphere is replete with best-of’s. I thought I would put my own spin on it and put the spotlight on the amazing jazz talent we have right here in the Emerald City. So I spent the better part of my birthday researching and compiling this list. […]

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My Continuing Experiment with “Free” – This Time At a Gig

December 8, 2009

This past Saturday my band Water Babies played a double-bill at a The Comet Tavern with our friend, saxophonist Lee Redfield. Lee’s band plays pop covers in a jazz style, funkier soul-jazz tunes and some more free, modal kinds of explorations. Water Babies plays what we call “Spontaneous Funk”, which is all improvised funk music. […]

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