Geoff Keezer - Ingrid Jensen

[Uncle Skid]

Ingrid Jensen Quartet w/Geoff Keezer, Friday, April 15th at Mona Shores High School, Muskegon, Michigan.

I'm not very familiar with either of them, but judging from the search results, there are at least a few fans on this board.

Comments? Is this one I shouldn't miss?

Anybody else in the area planning on going? sheldonm -- road trip??!!!

[Chuck Nessa]

Hey, what time is the show? Ann and I will be shopping in the late afternoon, eating at Applebee's (to use up a gift certificate) and then..............

[marcello]

Geoff may be a genius; a fantastic pianist with a exciting sense of harmonics.

Ingrid is a mean trumpet player. A lot of chops and soul.

They are also best of friends.

I wouldn't miss it.

I have my own bias, though. Here is a photo of Geoffrey, Yours Truly and Joe Locke.

Edited April 15, 2005 by marcello

[Chuck Nessa]

Thanks for the pic.

[marcello]

Here is another from the same session.

Photo by me; the humor from a British friend of Joe Locke's.

How many of you know what a "Plonker" is?

[Uncle Skid]

Yes, thanks marcello! Nice pictures.

Chuck, I'm pretty sure the show is at 8pm. I'll email you the flyer I received.

I'm probably going to go -- the high school is less than a mile from here -- but I'll need to cancel my earlier plans. It would be a real shame for me to miss this, as it's jazz (very) close to home, and a benefit for the local high school band programs.

[mikeweil]

Jensen played on Keezer's last CD for MaxJazz, Falling Up - they seem to be a very good match musically.

Wish I could be there ...

[Uncle Skid]

Ok, I have no idea what I "plonker" is. If I had to guess, I would say something similar to a "wanker"?

Seriously, thanks Marcello and Mike for the push in the right direction. I went to the show, and enjoyed it very much. Chuck, sorry we missed you and Ann.

Lazaro was the emcee, and did a wonderful job (as usual). I was trying to recall if I've ever been to any jazz shows in this area when Lazaro wasn't there, but I don't remember any. Thanks, Lazaro, for all you do to bring great music to this area! Also, it was mentioned that Blue Lake Public Radio was recording this show, and I hope that it makes it to the web for downloading soon.

Ingrid and Geoff were both very good, and I really enjoyed the bassist (Matt Clohesy) and the drummer, Jon Wikan. Incredible! Jon was doing some wonderful things up there -- Tony Williams-like in some respects, but definitely a unique voice on the instrument.

I'm hoping Lazaro weighs in with his thoughts on the show, as I'm having a real hard time turning my impressions into words. I have to say this was an educational show for me, as I've never heard jazz played quite like this.

I'd call it "modern" in the sense that there was a lot happening -- many time shifts, harmonically advanced progressions; long, intense compositions. The first song they played (Tea and Watercolors, IIRC), was quite a journey, running through many different moods and colors in 20+ minutes. This was certainly not a "jam" session, in any sense of the word.

However, it appeared that there were more than a few people in the audience that didn't enjoy it as much as I did. After that first song, a fair number of people got up and left. Ingrid appeared to be a bit surprised by this, but it certainly did not seem to affect her performance for the remainder of the show. In all fairness, this started out as a high school jazz ensemble show, and after the kids played, I think some parents (and kids) were ready to go home.

Their loss. I enjoyed it! B-)

[Chuck Nessa]

Sorry we missed it. Our "errands" took much longer than I thought. We didn't get to eat 'til after 9.

[marcello]

Thanks for the report, Uncle Skid. I'm glad you could be there.

As far as people leaving, you're probally right about them leaving after their kids played, but I have been a part of many artist workshops with student ensembles, and for the parents to leave while the artists ( who just spent their day teaching their children) are on stage, is not good manners. I know that tomorrow, the band is playing in Lima.....Peru! Ahh, the life of a Jazz Musician!

And yes, you win the "Plonker" prize. If you were from Britian, you would have had quite the belly laugh!

Another photo from that session with Bob Hurst, Geoff, Billy Killson and Joe.

Edited April 16, 2005 by marcello

[Uncle Skid]

Yes, not only was it not good manners, it was downright rude. I was in the fourth row, and many of the people that got up and left were in the front three rows. I'd have to guess that they won't see as much of that type of rude behavior in Peru.

Can you tell us more about the session these photos are from?

[marcello]

The photos are from a March 6th recording session at Avatar Studios in New York.

Joe and Geoffrey work as co-leaders in a Quartet as the opportunities arise. They have recorded last year for Sony/Eighty-Eights ( for this session also ) as "The New Sound Quartet". The label owner, Yasohachi Itoh, bestowed that name on them. A Japanese marketing idea, I guess.

The first record, "Summer Knows ' was released last Fall, but only in Japan. They are released on 180 gram vinyl, CD & SACD Hybrid. They sound and look great. If it is released here, it will probally be on the 441 label. Maybe this next one will be too.

Both records have a mix of standards ( that are selected by Mr. Itoh ) and one original from each leader. When Itoh suggested "Summertime" Joe and Geoff groaned in unison; but the arraingement that they came up with, swung like a gate!

Eighty-Eights Web Site

Here is another photo from behind the board:

[Lazaro Vega]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I haven't been by to check in since the show.

That program went way longer than advertised, and the people who left split 1/2 hour after the show should have been over on a school night, and they were old folks: an extended family who were obviously there in support of their grand kids.

Ingrid was great -- she came out and played a Stix Hooper chart with the Mona Shores second tier band and about killed me with her Miles-isms -- it was D dorian to E and she rode that Miles vibe for all it was worth.

A highlight was hearing "Naima" featuring Mona Shores top tier big band with Ingrid and a student soloist who happened to by the grand daughter of Fritz Stansell, the President of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. In that second part Ingrid's quartet integrated into the big band and while the music was odd (a big band with a double rhythm section? Didn't work for Kenny Clarke, so, you know), it was a blast for the kids -- they were right in the thick of the real deal. Did a nice job on a Maria Schneider chart. Ingrid was very supportive, saying she couldn't believe they were high schoolers and that she'd run into college bands with less fire and creativity.

Her set was wonderful. Despite folks leaving there was also a nearly 5 minute round of applause that stopped the show completely after that first "set" of music her quartet played.

The "Tea and Watercolors" piece was kind of ECM-ish, based mostly on a vamp (Clousey is a good player, three years in New York now from his home in Austrailia). If you know "Twilight Time" (is that it?) on her Project O record, this piece was in that bag for starters, but mutated and eventually developed through several moods -- good writing, tough, heads-up arrangement. At some point the piece became a cadenza for solo trumpet and out of the cadenza the band moved into "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes." A very abstracted variation on "There Is No Greater Love" followed, and then two pieces Jensen wrote while on Honeymoon this last summer with her husband, drummer Jon Wikan (pronounced Wee-kan). The first of those was out, uptempo and free. Nice. I had to split at that point.

Was looking forward to broadcasting the concert this Thursday, but may have to wait for artist approval before anything gets on the air, which may take months. I think I need to become charming and see if something could happen more immediately.

Don't forget, The Truth in Jazz Big Band this Tuesday night at the West Side Inn on Beidler Street from 7 to 9. Bring your liver: jazz in a neighborhood tavern. It is the BEST hang. Pure Muskegon, that is, unpretentious. There's a kid playing trumpet in that band from Kansas City, a former student of Bobby Watson, and he's one sick mutha. In fact he's running the jam session at The West Side Inn Sunday nights from 7 to 9.

[Lazaro Vega]

New Artist: Trumpeter Arzo Tureaud II

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http://www.kapcomm.com/arzo/

Here's the guy I'm talking about who's in the Truth in Jazz Orchestra and running the jam session. There are clips of his playing at the web site.

[Uncle Skid]

It would appear that I over reacted about people leaving early. My apologies -- it just seem like a bunch of people left early (not just from the first few rows), and I was quite shocked by it. I was enjoying the show so much that I couldn't imagine *anyone* leaving early, regardless! B-)

However, I should also mention that my wife and son did not enjoy it much at all. My son couldn't sit still, and my wife said it all sounded like "noise". Oh well!

Thanks for the review and the info on the Tuesday/Sunday night happenings, Lazaro. I'm going to try to get over there soon.

[Lazaro Vega]

U-Skid -- we'll be featuring part of the concert tonight on Jazz From Blue Lake, around 10:30 p.m.

And we will be broadcasting the entire concert on Saturday, April 30th at 9 a.m.

www.bluelake.org

[Uncle Skid]

Thanks, Lazaro. I caught most of the show last night. Ingrid's concert sounded great, and I enjoyed the Mingus selections as well. Looking forward to hearing the whole concert on the 30th.

[Lazaro Vega]

Looks like Ingrid Jensen's concert will air from around 8:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. this Saturday morning during "Jazz a la Carte." www.bluelake.org

[randissimo]

Looks like Ingrid Jensen's concert will air from around 8:45 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. this Saturday morning during "Jazz a la Carte." www.bluelake.org

Too early for me I have heard some recordings of hers with a really sweet B3..