Since their modest musical beginnings in Nanaimo, Christine and Ingrid Jensen have gone on to become jazz giants. Following in their motherB次元官网网址檚 pianistic footsteps, Christine and older sister Ingrid were quick to pick up on music as children and participated in the Nanaimo Musicians Association Big Band before moving on to bigger jazz endeavours. Now, New York-based trumpeter Ingrid is among the top jazz artists in the world and saxophonist Christine has collaborated with many notable musicians including Geoffrey Keezer, Lenny Pickett, Brad Turner, Gary Versace, Joel Miller and Donny McCaslin B次元官网网址� the latter also performing in Oak Bay for JazzFest June 25.
Christine says Vancouver Island helped foster her love of the music from an early age.
B次元官网网址淚 had a great time in my youth, playing with musicians my age or with the teachers, because they were all very active as music educators. Their specialty was jazz [at that time],B次元官网网址� she said.
Jazz, for young Christine, was a form of music that allowed for improvisational freedom. B次元官网网址淚t was always liberating, after practicing all the Mozart et cetera on the piano, to switch over to be in the now with the music. To play with others was much more informal.B次元官网网址�
The musician found it difficult to decide between piano and saxophone when she entered college. In the end, both instruments benefited each other for the style she would go on to compose, create and improvise on. Christine visited Victoria several years ago with her own jazz orchestra - fittingly titled The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra - and says the experience was a huge B次元官网网址渃areer moment.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 never thought I would be leading my own ensemble across Canada and Europe and playing all of my own music,B次元官网网址� she said. Christine won the B次元官网网址淐ontemporary Jazz AlbumB次元官网网址� JUNO award for her album Treelines in 2013 and the same award for her album Habitat the next year. Her suite Under the Influence was recently released through The Montreal National Jazz Orchestra.
Christine, Ingrid and Ben Monder performed together for the first time in 2012. Previously, Christine had witnessed Ingrid and Monder performing in an international orchestra and imagined that the pair would have even more power in a smaller ensemble. When the three, including Christine, came together, they were an instant success on-stage. B次元官网网址淓very time I get to play with Ben itB次元官网网址檚 a new voyage into the music,B次元官网网址� Christine said. B次元官网网址淸Ingrid and I] did a few concerts back in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with Ben on the East Coast with this formation and every time, we went, B次元官网网址榃ow, itB次元官网网址檚 getting bigger and bigger.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Monder was the guitarist for David BowieB次元官网网址檚 Grammy-winning Blackstar album, and offers great expertise to the small ensemble. In 2015, the group recorded an album titled Infinitude. Their current tour, which goes by the same name, will include the June 27 performance in Oak Bay. Compositions by Ingrid Jensen, Christine Jensen and Ben Monder will be performed B次元官网网址� along with B次元官网网址渟omething everybody knows,B次元官网网址� said Christine. That something will be a mystery until the night of the show.
B次元官网网址淲e always look forward to playing on home turf,B次元官网网址� Christine added. B次元官网网址淲e love bringing back our explorations of the world to our home base. ItB次元官网网址檚 really exciting to play for friends and family.B次元官网网址�
Tickets to Dave Dunnet TheatreB次元官网网址檚 June 27 concert are available at:
The Victoria Jazz Society, #202 - 345 Quebec St.
LyleB次元官网网址檚 Place, 770 Yates St.
Royal & McPherson Box Office, 3 Centennial Square
Show starts at 8 pm.
