Seattle-based trumpeter Jason Parker has figured out how to make a living — and a life — with his instrument. Parker’s quartet has been together for a several years, a fact clearly in evidence on their most recent recording, No More, No Less (Jason Parker Music, 2009). In this interview, Parker talks about the band and what makes it work; his early adoption of social media and how it’s helped his career; and why he decided to give away his music for free. Learn more at oneworkingmusician.com. Follow Jason Parker on Twitter at twitter.com/1workinmusician.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

I found out Tuesday night that FootHills Publishing, an independent poetry press celebrating its 25th year, is going to publish a collection of my work. I really can’t believe it. Huzzah!

Watch jasoncrane.org for more details…

Coming up on The Jazz Session over the next couple months: Jason Parker, Chris Kelsey, Harris Eisenstadt, Erik Deutsch, Chad Taylor, John Hollenbeck, Roger Kellaway, Sam Sadigursky, Brandon Seabrook, Lionel Loueke, Dave Rempis & Frank Rosaly, Frank Kimbrough, John Ellis, Orrin Evans, Joe Locke, Tyshawn Sorey, Fred Ho, …Erik Telford, Stanton Moore, Matt Lavelle … and more!

Crazy, right?

Pianist Hiromi Uehara spends a lot of time on the road, traveling from gig to gig, from hotel to hotel, from city to city and country to country. Her new CD, Place To Be (Telarc, 2010), pays tribute to many of the places she’s visited. In this interview, Hiromi talks about life on the road; her emotional return to her hometown in Japan; and why she’s happy to meet new pianos. Learn more at www.hiromimusic.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Many thanks to Chris Rich of the blog Brilliant Corners for including The Jazz Session right at the top of his site.

If you’re not familiar with Chris, you should be. He blogs frequently and fearlessly about jazz as an art form and as a business, and I always find his take on the music refreshing and original. Chris also goes out of his way to build a community of jazz fans, musicians and writers, and that’s important work.

Back in November, Chris asked me to participate in his occasional profile series. Here are the results.

So thanks, Chris. The jazz world is better with you in it.

UPDATE: This short post prompted some nasty comments, which is too bad. But it also prompted an interesting post from Chris Rich, which is good.