Christine Jensen

Saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen is considered “one of the most important Canadian composers of her generation”, according to Globe and Mail jazz critic, Mark Miller, and has emerged as a creative alto and soprano saxophonist on both the Canadian and international jazz scene. “Jensen writes in three dimensions, with a quiet kind of authority that makes the many elements cohere. Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider and Kenny Wheeler come to mind.” �” Downbeat Magazine

In 2002, Christine moved to Paris after being awarded a prestigious grant by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec which included a six-month residency at the Québec Studio in the Cité Internationale des Arts situated in the vibrant Marais district. This stint in Paris gave her some distance and perspective on Québec, Canada and North American culture. Surrounded by the prolific ideas of the visual artists residing alongside her, she was given the opportunity to explore the contrast between nature and modernity as well as the old world and new world mindset regarding art, culture and politics. During her residency, she sketched her compositions and then extensively toured and reworked the material with her Canadian quartet upon return. In November 2005, she entered the studio in order to document these ideas that have fully evolved with her group.

Saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen is considered “one of the most important Canadian composers of her generation”, according to Globe and Mail jazz critic, Mark Miller, and has emerged as a creative alto and soprano saxophonist on both the Canadian and international jazz scene. “Jensen writes in three dimensions, with a quiet kind of authority that makes the many elements cohere. Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider and Kenny Wheeler come to mind.” �” Downbeat Magazine

In 2002, Christine moved to Paris after being awarded a prestigious grant by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec which included a six-month residency at the Québec Studio in the Cité Internationale des Arts situated in the vibrant Marais district. This stint in Paris gave her some distance and perspective on Québec, Canada and North American culture. Surrounded by the prolific ideas of the visual artists residing alongside her, she was given the opportunity to explore the contrast between nature and modernity as well as the old world and new world mindset regarding art, culture and politics. During her residency, she sketched her compositions and then extensively toured and reworked the material with her Canadian quartet upon return. In November 2005, she entered the studio in order to document these ideas that have fully evolved with her group.

Over the past three years, Jensen has built a strong musical rapport with a core ensemble of musicians: pianist Dave Restivo, bassist Fraser Hollins, and drummer Greg Ritchie, as well as the frequent addition of guitarist Ken Bibace. The unique combination of these musicians shared musical influences has allowed them to continually evolve and develop Jensen’s original repertoire, with the recording of “Look Left” documenting their collaborative explorations of her themes.

Christine is famous for writing specifically for the musicians she plays and records with. Her ability to create intimate dialogues amongst the players within the context of her compositions makes her work a pleasure for musicians to play. In the lead-up to this recording, she collaborated with special guests on this repertoire, including Geoffrey Keezer, Brad Turner, Karl Jannuska, François Théberge, Gary Versace, Donny McCaslin, Steve Amirault, Franck Amsallem, along with her long-term musical relations with sister Ingrid Jensen and Joel Miller. “Each song is complex and crafted to bring out the best in the players. She gives them enough room to map their own within the framework, which they do with an intuition that is lyrical and full-bodied.” �”All About Jazz

Born in Sechelt, British Columbia, and raised within Nanaimo’s stellar music community, Jensen graduated from McGill University’s jazz performance program in 1994. Since then she has traveled extensively performing and composing her works in a diverse array of musical settings, from small to large ensembles. Her music has taken her on more recent voyages, including guest appearances in Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, and Turkey. Christine Jensen has built a reputation as an original voice on the international jazz scene. It hasn’t taken [her] long to emerge as one of Canada’s most compelling composers on the Canadian scene today” �” The Globe and Mail

On Jensen’s quartet: “it was hard to say which was stronger; the close-knit communication of the players, or the imaginative original tunes from Jensen that inspired them. Either way, Jensen is a leader to watch.”-The Edmonton Sun

This is Jensen’s third album as a leader on Effendi Records. She released “Collage” in 2000 and “A Shorter Distance” in 2002.