Jason Palmer – Jazz Trumpeter Extraordinaire

Jason Palmer, trumpeter

A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to Grace Kelly’s touring quintet, of which Jason Palmer plays a large role. In her band, he does what he does best: plays trumpet! But he does not limit himself only to touring with and supporting Grace Kelly. He is beginning to rise up as one of the most in-demand trumpeters in all of jazz.

According to Grace Kelly’s website, even early in his career, Jason has already shared the stage with numerous jazz legends such as Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Greg Osby (quintet member 2004-2006), Kurt Rosenwinkel (he was the first trumpeter to ever be hired by this highly acclaimed guitarist), and many other highly recognized names in jazz. Downbeat Magazine cited Jason in 2007 as one of the “Top 25 trumpeters of the Future”.

Jason Palmer released an album of his own in 2009 titled Songbook, which features nine of Palmer’s own original compositions. He also has a band of his own, named The Public Option. Due to his current rigorous touring schedule with the Grace Kelly Quintet, The Public Option only plays shows every now and then. Their next show is tentatively scheduled for June 30th in Roslindale, MA.

Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2010)

Despite his growing repertoire as a skillful jazz trumpeter, Palmer does not corner himself into only giving live performance. In fact, he doesn’t even corner himself into only being a musician. In addition to touring, he teaches trumpet at numerous schools in Boston and New York City, including JazzBoston, the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Mission Hill School, and he’s also a faculty member at Aquinas College Jazz Camp in Grand Rapids, MI.

One thing that especially surprised me about Jason Palmer during my research was that he’s not only musically inclined; he’s also broken into acting as well. Opening in theaters just this past November of 2010, he starred as the main character in a movie titled Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. This is an independent film written and directed by Hollywood newcomer Damien Chazelle. It premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and has since opened to wide release and other film festivals across the country, as well as in Greece and Bratislava.

The movie is an all-out musical, filmed in grainy black and white 16mm film that gives it an old-time feel, providing fitting visuals for it’s jazzy vaudeville-esque tunes. According to Fandango’s synopsis of the film, it “tells the story of two separated lovers, a young jazz trumpeter (Palmer) and an introverted woman (Garcia), who slowly wind their way back into each other’s lives through a series of romances and near-romances punctuated by song.” To read the rest of the synopsis, click here.

Even more surprising than its choice of a lead actor, the movie has received sparkling reviews from dozens of critics. It currently sits at a very impressive 89% fresh rating at rottentomatoes.com. I personally plan on tracking down a copy of this movie to watch and review for you guys.

Check out the trailer for the movie below, and stay tuned to my blog for new exciting information from Jason Palmer and the other members of the Grace Kelly Quintet.