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Dana Jessen
Hailed as a “bassoon virtuoso” (Chicago Reader) and 2023 Cleveland Arts Prize winner, Dana Jessen tirelessly seeks to expand the boundaries of her instrument through original compositions, improvisations, and collaborative work with innovative artists. Over the past decade, she has presented dozens of world premiere performances throughout North America and Europe while maintaining equal footing in the creative music community as an improviser. Her solo performances are almost entirely grounded in electroacoustic composition that highlight her distinct musical language. As a chamber musician, Dana is the co-founder of the contemporary reed quintet Splinter Reeds, and has performed with Alarm Will Sound, Amsterdam’s DOEK Collective, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, and the Tri-Centric Ensemble, among many others. A dedicated educator, Dana teaches at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has presented masterclasses and workshops to a range of students from across the globe. More at: www.danajessen.com
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Dana Jessen: Winter Chapel
by Karl Ackermann
Dana Jessen is the founder of Splinter Reeds, a reed quintet, and she has performed with Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Orchestra. In 2017, the bassoonist/composer gave us the enterprising solo project Carve (Innova Recordings). Her mastery of the difficult double-reed instrument played out in experimental interpretations of works by modern composers. Winter Chapel is Jessen's equally adventurous second solo outing, this time with her compositions and improvisations. Winter Chapel was recorded in early 2020 at the Oberlin College Fairchild ...
read moreDana Jessen: Carve
by Karl Ackermann
The bassoon rarely makes an appearance outside of the orchestral setting though it has found a place in jazz recordings dating back to Paul Whiteman and much later with Chick Corea. The instrument is considered one of the most difficult to play but its natural range and dynamics are far-reaching and versatile. Add in electronics and extended techniques and you have a unique instrument going beyond its already exceptional array. That is what Dana Jessen has delivered on Carve, an ...
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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson