“[Jensen has] abundant technical facility, a wildly imaginative approach to improvisation, and a lustrous, deeply nuanced tone.” — Jazziz
Ingrid Jensen is a visionary artist who has redefined the role of the trumpet in contemporary jazz. Known for a sound that is as “vocal” as it is instrumental, Jensen has a warm, lyrical, and deeply human quality to her playing. Whether she is delivering muscular hard-bop runs, effortlessly playing in the stratosphere, or painting atmospheric soundscapes with digital delays and masterful mute work, her performances are an exciting masterclass in boundless possibility.
Jensen is an award-winning artist, with a Juno Award and a “Trumpeter of the Year” recognition from the Jazz Journalists Association. She’s collaborated with jazz legends like Clark Terry and Maria Schneider and modern icons like Esperanza Spalding and Sarah McLachlan. As a member of the acclaimed Blue Note supergroup Artemis, she continues to push jazz into fresh spaces of expression.
On stage, Jensen is a captivating presence — statuesque and confident, guiding her ensemble through complex terrains with a simple nod or gesture. Her music weaves together traditional jazz, classical harmony, and world influences. This special appearance finds Jensen just coming off the recording of her spectacular new release, Landings, which which she affirms her place among today’s most vital trumpet voices, leading a band that transforms composed material into something fluid, surprising, and deeply alive. This is a quartet that can go from 0 to 60 at the drop of a hat, delivering music that is at once composed and free, intricate yet never rigid, swinging as hell and always searching.
This performance is made possible through a grant from Chamber Music America.
Ingrid Jensen Quartet
Sat, April 11
|
7:00 PM
&
9:30 PM
Presented by Denver Jazz Fest – 7:00p show Sold Out. 9:30p show tix at the door.
PERSONNEL
Ingrid Jensen: trumpet
Gary Versace: piano
Jon Wikan: drums
Amina Scott: Bass
Ticket prices: $25 | $30 | $35
PERSONNEL
Ingrid Jensen: trumpet
Gary Versace: piano
Jon Wikan: drums
Amina Scott: Bass
Ticket prices: $25 | $30 | $35
Gimme 5
Five questions with Ingrid Jensen
Don Lucoff: You have a new album out that features George Coleman. That must have been inspiring and gave the sessions a special feeling?
Ingrid Jensen: Yes. Having the opportunity to record with a legend whom I have heard on albums thousands of times that changed my life as a teenager was nothing short of mind-blowing. I still can’t believe that George requested to play on my record in exchange for me playing on his next album!
DL: Besides the new album, are you doing any special programming around your 60th birthday year?
IJ: Ha! Yes, going to the gym more regularly than ever and trying to sleep 10 hours a night. So far, only one of those is happening.
As I am an underground artist who operates very grass-rootedly, without management or a promotion agent, it’s really up to the universe to invite me out to play.
I find the online promotion scheme to be exhausting and shallow for the most part and am happy to just be alive and playing great music with great people as it organically unfolds in my little circle of life.
DL: Now that you are stepping away from full time jazz education at the Manhattan School of Music, how do you plan to use this newfound time?
IJ: <<More laughs>> I never wanted that job, nor did I apply. That was a Covid thing. I recently saw a video of an indigenous woman talking about leadership. She said, and I quote, “The great leaders are the ones you have to drag kicking and screaming into the positions of power, not the ones who seek out the positions because they want them so badly.” I guess I was a great leader in some ways. Far from perfect and I made many errors, but that was a day job that I let myself get squeezed into for a number or reasons. Musician/artists and day jobs are rarely compatible. Gaining back my time to be with my amazing family, to write, teach more consciously, work out, read, swim, breathe, and more is my favorite middle way to operate from while spinning around on this crazy ball of dirt and gas.
DL: It’s been fun to watch how Artemis has evolved and welcoming in younger players like Nicole Glover. What are the future plans for the group?
IJ: Artemis is a band. We are all leaders in our own right and the fact that it all works so beautifully is a gift. Nicole is a perfect fit (like a glove!) as we continue to grow together despite the age differences. We just keep writing and playing like any other band out there and are grateful for the deep support our fans show up with. Not about being women at all, We’re just a band that happens to be very high level.
DL: You and Diana Krall are from the same town outside Vancouver B.C. and around the same age. Did you play together much coming up and have your musical paths crossed over time?
IJ: I don’t remember ever playing with Diana. I met her a few times over the years, but we don’t cross paths musically or otherwise. I did go to high school with her sister though. I think she played flute?