Jason Miles & Ingrid Jensen
Biography Jason Miles & Ingrid Jensen
Jason Miles
In an industry where copycatting and contrivance is too often encouraged and true creativity and innovation is needed but not always rewarded, Jason Miles has stood his ground as a true musical visionary.
From his groundbreaking synth programming on Miles Davis’ 80s masterpieces Tutu, Music From Siesta and Amandla to his current partnership with DJ Logic and Falu in the pioneering global fusion group Global Noize, the Grammy Award winning New York native—dubbed by one insightful veteran journalist as the “Quincy Jones of Contemporary Music”—has consistently brought the highest level of artistry to his multi-faceted recordings (as both producer and artist) and live performances.
Miles has not only helped shape the landscape of contemporary jazz, but also brought his rich sonic textures as a keyboardist, arranger and producer to artists in a multitude of genres, from R&B/pop to Latin Jazz, Brazilian music and even children’s music and country (producing Suzy Boguss’ Sweet Danger).
His many years of collaboration with Marcus Miller include not only the Miles Davis projects but also classic recordings by David Sanborn (A Change of Heart, Close Up, Upfront) and Luther Vandross (The Power of Love, Any Love, Give Me the Reason). Committed to pushing the envelope of sonic possibilities and bringing out the best in the artists and musicians he vibes with, Miles has worked over the years with a proverbial who’s who of contemporary music: Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Michael Brecker, The Crusaders, Ruben Blades, Freddy Cole, George Benson, Joe Sample, Herb Alpert., Vanessa Williams, Grover Washington Jr, Lea Salonga.
In addition to conceiving, producing and arranging two very successful tribute recordings dedicated to Grover, Miles—who did the synth programming on Washington’s 1987 album Strawberry Moon --has paid tribute to the late sax great in an even more intimate way: by producing and executive producing Grover Live, a 2010 issue of a live concert Washington performed at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, New York in 1997. Miles’ tireless work in bringing this recording to the public—thereby introducing the power of Washington’s music to a new generation of contemporary jazz listeners—is reflective of his commitment to keeping the great music of the past alive while keeping his eye on and exploring exciting future possibilities.
Miles has also done this on stage in recent years by producing and performing at all-star shows at the Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, Pennsylvania. His Quincy Jones like ability to ensemble with the best musicians around have made these extravaganzas an integral part of the Berks experience; his shows have included live performances of Maximum Groove and Miles to Miles as well as tribute events celebrating Ivan Lins, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and Grover.
Jason has performed at many great festivals and stages around the world: Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz Aspen, Umbria Jazz,North Sea,,Jacksonville Jazz Fest, Jazz Fest NOLA, Tokyo Blue Note to name a few.
In 2008, Global Noize, Miles’ new group formed around his partnership with DJ Logic, released its self titled debut and performed at Berks and later at Jazz Fest in New Orleans; the live show included musicians from across the spectrum, including Christian Scott, John Popper, Bernie Worrell, Me’Shell Ndgeocello, Billy Martin, Suphala, Cyro Baptista and James Genus. Hailed by All Music Guide as “the 2000s equivalent to the way Weather Report and Return to Forever drove the spirit of jazz fusion in the 70s,” Global Noize—driven in part by Miles’ expansive, socially conscious vision—creates a boundary breaking, freewheeling swirl of jazz, funk, electronic, world fusion and blues that’s all at once grounded, trippy and sensual, and – with the ethereal vocals of Falu – also transcendent and spiritual.
Jason continues to produce artists for the future and is currently working on Sly Reimagined a 21st century look into the Music of Sly and The Family Stone for the next Global Noize release. It will be available in 2013 with artists Like Roberta Flack, Nona Hendryx, Mike Mattison, Jeff Coffin and others. He is also producing a wonderful artist from Hawaii Amy Hanaialii with a 2013 release as well.
Looking back on his fascinating, far reaching career, Miles says, “I’ve learned so much from the great players I have been fortunate enough to work with and they have made me a much better musician and person,” he adds. “I’m always thinking about the listeners and the audience and how important it is to bring them something special that can make a difference in their lives. The industry has presented its challenges along the way, but there has been so much beauty among the disappointment. All I ever wanted was a chance to play music and make a living at it, and I’m grateful to have had these rich experiences, surrounded by so many talented and loving people. I wouldn’t trade these moments for anything.”
Ingrid Jensen
Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, Canada, Ingrid headed east after receiving a number of scholarships to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since graduating in 1989, her life has contained a whirlwind of musical activities. From her early days playing in the subways of New York, to establishing herself as a leader and soloist in a wide array of musical genres, Ingrid has made her mark. Her three CD's for the ENJA label and her latest CD, At Sea, won her nominations from the Canadian Juno Awards, including an award in 1995 for Vernal Fields.
Her performances as a leader and as a featured soloist have taken her around the world from Canada to Japan, Australia, South America, South Africa, the Caribbean and to almost every country in Europe and Scandinavia.
Jensen can be heard as a soloist with the Christine Jensen Orchestra, her own own quartet and quintet formations, Project O, Nordic Connect and a number of other New York-based bands. She has received rave reviews and a strong reputation among critics and peers. In 2003 she was nominated, for the second time, alongside trumpeter Dave Douglas for a Jazz Journalist Association Award in New York and is seen yearly in the top five of the Downbeat Critic polls in the Talent deserving wider recognition category. Ingrid was featured on Gil Evans' Porgy and Bess at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, under the direction of Maria Schneider and was also a guest in the festival's "Tribute to Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard", alongside Terence Blanchard, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson and Kenny Garrett. Some of the many musicians she has performed and or recorded with include; Steve Wilson, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, Dr.Lonnie Smith, Marc Copland, Bob Berg, Gary Thomas, Gary Bartz, Jeff Hamilton, Bill Stewart, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Geri Allen, Geoffrey Keezer, Billy Hart, George Garzone, Chris Connor, Victor Lewis, Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Badal Roy, Mike Clark, Jason Miles and Global Noize, Dr.Billy Taylor and the DIVA Big Band. She also performed on SNL with the British soul star, Corrine Bailey Rae and played a number of gigs with comedian/actor/singer Dennis Leary with special guest, Peter Frampton. Ingrid was also a featured soloist with singer Madelaine Peyroux as part of the Tribute to Billy Holiday project in Brazil which included bass legend Ron Carter and piano virtuoso, Mulgrew Miller. Recent gigs and recordings include : The Playboy Jazz Festival with the Bill Cosby All- Stars, The Mosaic project with Terri-Lynn Carrington, Esperanza Spaulding and Geri Allen and The Juno award winning Christine Jensen Orchestra.
Ingrid was on staff at the Port Townsend Centrum Jazz Workshop for five consecutive years and from 1990 until 1992 held the professor of Jazz Trumpet chair at the Bruckner Conservatory of Music in Austria. Currently, she is an artist-in-residence on the trumpet faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Jensen continues to fill her schedule with an astonishing array of artistic creativity as a performer and educator. In addition to performing, she conducts master classes, clinics, and workshops around the world.
