2001 Jazz Festival

Guest Artists Bios

[Lewis Nash]  [Ingrid Jensen]  [Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble]

 

Lewis Nash

“Rhythm Is My Business” (Evidence Records) is the title of his debut recording as a leader, and rhythm is a booming business as far as Lewis Nash is concerned.  As the drummer of choice in the studio and on the bandstand for an incredible array of artists-from the masters of the music to some of the hottest young players of today-Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most in demand drummers in jazz.

Born December 30, 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona, Lewis developed an early interest in music and began playing drums at age 10.  At 18, he was performing with local jazz groups, as well as top named artists appearing in the Phoenix area.  By the time he was 21, Lewis had become the “first call” jazz drummer in Phoenix and had performed with Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Red Garland, Lee Konitz, Barney Kessell and Slide Hampton.

In 1981, he moved to New York and joined the trio of jazz vocalist Betty Carter.  For nearly four years, Lewis toured internationally with Ms. Carter.  He is featured on three of her recordings, including the Grammy-award winning “Look What I Got.”

World-renowned jazz bassist Ron Carter was the next to seek Lewis’ services and in 1984 Lewis began touring extensively with Carter’s quartet, quintet, and nontet and is featured on several of Carter’s recordings.

In the fall of 1986, saxophonist Branford Marsalis asked Lewis to join his group.  The active association spanned two years and several continents, and is documented on Marsalis’ Grammy-nominated “Random Abstract,” as well as two videos: “Royal Garden Blues” (directed by Spike Lee) and “Branford Marsalis-Steep”.

1988 marked the return to the jazz scene with  J.J. Johnson, the master of the modern trombone.  Johnson frequently asked Lewis to provide rhythm duties for his band, including tours in the U.S. and Europe.  That same year, Lewis joined the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, succeeding the late Dannie Richmond, and toured Japan, Europe and the U.S. with the group, until it disbanded a year later.  1989 proved to be an even busier year for Lewis, touring with the legendary tenor saxophonist  Sonny Rollins and working with Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Clark Terry and Milt Jackson.

Since 1990, Lewis has been a member of the Tommy Flanagan Trio and is featured on seven CD recordings with the piano master, including the recent Grammy-nominated, “Sea Changes.” Both Wynton Marsalis and Jon Faddis, in their capacities as orchestra conductors, have asked Lewis to be a part of live performances and recordings by both the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, respectively.  Lewis continues to tour and record with the greatest names in jazz.  Along with those mentioned above, his impressive discography includes projects with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and Benny Carter as well as today’s brightest new names, including Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, and Roy Hargrove.  Lewis can also be found on projects by pop divas Bette Midler and Melissa Manchester.

Outside of his may touring and recording accomplishments, thanks to the sponsorship of Sonor Drums, Sabian Cymbals and Regal Tip Drumsticks, Lewis has become a sought after jazz educator.  His lectures, clinics and workshops at conservatories, music schools, colleges, elementary and high schools, and community centers throughout the country are as much in demand as his bandstand and studio work.  Lewis Nash: Rhythm is indeed his business.

“His swing, his sense of color, the intelligence of his drum solos and his ability to put a groove on almost anything account for his popularity.”  --Stanley Crouch

“He’s a very tasteful, beautiful drummer with immpecable time.  Lewis always has the correct empathy with whomever he’s playing…He’s always on the same wavelength as the other musicians on the bandstand, which is a rarity these days.”  --Clark Terry

 

Discography:

 

As a Bandleader

Lewis Nash, Rhythm Is My Business, Evidence (1993)

 

As a Supporting Player

1999

Diana Krall, When I Look In Your Eyes, Verve Music Group

Regina Carter, Rhythms Of the Heart, Verve Music Group

Steve Turre, Lotus Flower, Verve Music Group

Cedar Walton, Roots, Astor Place

 

1998

Clifford Adams, The Master Power, Naxos Jazz

Harry Allen, Daydream, BMG

Ron Carter, So What, Blue Note

Cyrus Chestnut, Cyrus Chestnut, Atlantic

Tommy Flanagan, Sunset and the Mockingbird, Blue Note

Gene Harris & the Phillip Morris All-Stars, “Live”, Concord

Hiroshi Hata, Introducing Hiroshi Hata, King

Rodney Jones, The Undiscovered Few, Blue Note

The Jazz Messengers, The Legacy of Art Blakey, Telarc

Russell Malone, Sweet Georgia Peach, IMPULSE

Manhattan Trinity, Make Me a Memory, Baybridge

Wynton Marsalis, The Midnight Blues, SONY

Bette Midler, Bathhouse Betty, Warner Bros.

Sumi Tonooka, Secret Places, Joken

 

1997

Toshiko Akiyoshi, Time Stream, Nippon Crown (Japan)

Zachary Breaux, Uptown Groove, Zebra

Regina Carter, Something For Grace, Atlantic

Ron Carter, The Bass and I, Toshiba/EMI (Blue Note)

Carri Coltrane, The First Time, Numoon

Kenny Drew Sr., Special Trio, Baybridge (Japan)

Mark Elf, A Minor Scramble, Jen Bay

Frank Foster, Leo Rising, Arabesque

Dizzy Gillespie, Bird Songs, Telarc

Scott Hamilton, After Hours, Concord

Melissa Manchester, Joy, Angel

Mikio Masuda, Black Daffodils, JVC (Japan)

Oscar Peterson, Live at Town Hall, Telarc

Tim Ray, Ideas And Opinions, GM Recordings

Jerome Richardson, Jazz Station Runaway, TCB

Bud Shank, B.S. Meets the Rhythm Section, Keystone

Manhattan Trinity, American Meditation, Baybridge (Japan)

McCoy Tyner, What the World Needs Now, IMPULSE

 

1996

Ann Hampton Callaway, To Ella With Love, After 9

Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Blue Note

Jesse Davis, From Within, Concord

Kenny Drew, Jr., Reverie, Meldac

Tommy Flanagan, Sea Changes, Alfa

Benny Green, Kaleidoscope, Blue Note

Eddie Henderson, Dark Shadows, Milestone

Joe Henderson, Joe Henderson Big Band, Verve

Joe Lovano, Live at the Village Vanguard, Blue Note

Jackie McClean, Hat Trick, Blue Note

Charles McPherson, Come Play With Me, Arabesque

Oscar Peterson, Oscar Peterson Meets Roy Hargrove & Ralph Moore, with Niels Pederson & Lewis Nash, Tel-Arc

Horace Silver, The Hardbop Grandpop, IMPULSE

Hiroshi Yamazaki, Sketch of Bridge, Jazzateria

 

1995

Ernie Andrews, The Great City, Muse

Bobby Broom, No Hype Blues, Criss Cross

Ray Brown, Some of My Best Friends Are…, Telarc

Ray Brown, The Piano Players, Telarc

Ray Bryant, Double RB, EmArcy

Ron Carter, Mr. Bow Tie, Blue Note

Todd Coolman, Lexicon, Double Time

Kenny Drew, Jr., Passionate, Meldac

Dominique Eade, My Resistance Is Low, Accurate

Tommy Flanagan, Lady Be Good…For Ella, Verve

Michael Franks, Abandoned Garden, Warner Bros.

Roy Hargrove, Family, PolyGram/Verve

Hank Jones, Minority Anyone?, Venus

Diana Krall, Only Trust Your Heart, GRP

Christian McBride, Gettin’ To It, PolyGram/Verve        

Herbie Mann, Peace Pieces, Kokopelli

Bill Mays, An Ellington Affair, Concord

Nicholas Payton, From This Moment, PolyGram/Verve

Oscar Peterson, The More I See You, Telarc

Carla White, Listen Here, Evidence

 

1994

Jesse Davis, High Standards, Concord

Tommy Flanagan, Let’s Play the Music of Thad Jones, Enja

Tommy Flanagan, Flanagan’s Shenanigans, Storyville

Eddie Henderson, Inspiration, Milestone

Lincoln Center Jazz Orch, We Came to Swing, CBS-Sony

David Leonhardt, Reflections, Big Band

Joe Lovano, Tenor Legacy, Blue Note

David “Fathead” Newman, Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool, Kokopelli

Rob Schneiderman, Dark Blue, Reservoir

Lew Tabackin, What a Little Moonlight Can Do, Concord

Robert Trowers, Synopsis, Concord

Barney Wilen, Le ca: New York Romance, Venus

Grover Washington, All My Tomorrows, CBS-Sony

 

1993

Benny Carter, Legends, Music Masters

Ron Carter, Friends, Toshiba EMI

Peter Delano, Peter Delano, PolGram/Verve

Kenny Drew, Jr., A Look Inside, Antilles

Nnenna Freelon, Heritage, Columbia

Slide Hampton & the Jazz Masters, Dedicated to Diz, Telarc

J.J. Johnson, Let’s Hang Out, PolyGram/Verve

Ryan Kisor, On the One, Columbia

Steve Kuhn, Years Later, Concord

Mulgrew Miller, Hand in Hand, RCA

Chris Potter, Introducing Chris Potter, Criss Cross

Clark Terry, What a Wonderful World, Red Barron

Larry Willis, How Do You Keep the Music Playing?, Steeplechase

                                                                     

1992

Toshiko Akiyoshi, Chic Lady, Crown (Japan)

Betty Carter, It’s Not About the Melody, PolyGram/Verve

Art Farmer, Soul Eyes, Enja

Dizzy Gillespie, To Bird, With Love, Telarc

Jimmy Heath, Little Man, Big Band, PolyGram/Verve

Masami Nakagawa, Posey, JVC

Jimmy Rainey, But Beautiful, Criss Cross

Justin Robinson, Justin Time, PolyGram/Verve

Vanessa Rubin, Soul Eyes, RCA Novus

Lew Tabackin, I’ll Be Seeing You, Concord

Sumi Tomooka, Here Comes Kai, Candid

 

1991

George Adams, That Old Feeling, Blue Note

Kenny Barron, Invitation, Criss Cross

Kenny Burrell, Sunup to Sundown, Contemporary

Todd Coolman, Tomorrows, BRC

Jon Faddis, Hornucopia, Epic

Tommy Flanagan, Beyond the Bluebird, Timeless

Don Friedman, Circle Waltz, BRC

Antonio Hart, For the First Time, RCA/Novus

Eddie Henderson/Laurent De Wilde, Colors of Manhattan, IDA

Steve Kuhn, Looking Back, Concord

Tete Montoliu, The Man From Barcelona, Timeless

New York Voices, Hearts of Fire, GRP

Stephen Scott, Something to Consider, PolyGram/Verve

Grady Tate, Dream Love, King (Japan)

 

1990

Toshiko Akiyoshi, Four Seasons, Crown (Japan)

Toshiko Akiyoshi, Remembering Bud, Crown (Japan)

Ron Carter, Eight Plus, JVC (Japan)

Frank Morgan, A Lovesome Thing, Antilles

Don Pullen, Random Thoughts, Blue Note

Clark Terry, Having Fun, Delos

Toots Thielemans, The Windmills of Your Mind, Emarcy

 

1989

Betty Carter, Look What I Got, PolyGram/Verve

Benny Green, In This Direction, Criss Cross

Rene Rosnes, Renee Rosnes, Blue Note

 

1988

Branford Marsalis, Random Abstract, Columbia

Clark Terry, Portraits,  Chesky

 

1986

Ron Carter, The Puzzle, SMS (Japan)

 

1982

Betty Carter, Whatever Happened to Love, Verve

 

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Ingrid Jensen

Ingrid Jensen plays trumpet with a vision: to communicate her truth as she discovers and lives it.  Combining virtuostic mastery with her own deep feeling, Jensen’s three Enja recordings showcase and artist whose music joins her own style with a solid sound rooted in the soil of her influences.  Influences ranging from Louis Armstrong to Woody Shaw and beyond.

The London Observer reported: “…Ingrid Jensen does not conform to the usual pattern.  Her style includes none of the obvious fireworks of the Roy Hargroves and Terrell Staffords and her sound, virtually devoid of vibrato, has a kind of matte finish to it in place of the customary glitter…her delivery is so authoritative that you just have to listen.”

Downbeat magazine, who critiqued her CD with a four-star rating wrote: “Vernal Fields has the fresh energy and affirmation of a young artist in the act of discovering the outer reaches of her talent…Watch for Ingrid Jensen.”

Vernal Fields won Canada’s Juno Award as “Best Mainstream Album of 1995”.  The same year, Jensen received the “Best Newcomer Award” at the Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland and weeks later, won the “Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition”.   In 1998 she was nominated for a Juno award alongside Canadians Diana Krall and Renee Rosnes in the “Best Mainstream Album of the Year” category.  Most recently she placed second in the Downbeat Critics poll in the Talent Deserving Wider Recognition category and was selected as one of the “Top twenty-five younger generation players on the scene today”.

Jensen was born in North Vancouver, where as a child she often listened to her mother playing classical and stride piano.  “My mom is a pianist and filled our minds and ears with Ella, Louis, Oscar, Debussy and Chopin instead of TV.  We grew up on the coast of Vancouver Island with nature and the ocean as our playground and creative canvas.”

After earning a Diploma in Jazz from Malaspina College in Canada, Jensen went on to graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston.  She was then invited to tour in Europe with the Vienna Art Orchestra, which led to an audition in 1991 for a jazz trumpet professor position at Austria’s Bruckner Conservatory.  At 25, she became the youngest teacher at the Conservatory.  Based in Vienna, she sat in with touring U.S. jazz musicians, including Lionel Hampton and his Golden Men of Jazz, where her performance caught the attention of ENJA records-and a record deal.

Currently based in New York City, Jensen’s daily quest is to find a balance between the conscious and unconscious, “so that I can play honestly in the moment and react freely and wisely to all the elements within this music.  My ideal is to follow the spirit of the Muse and PLAY.”

Discography:

HIGHER GROUNDS, Ingrid Jensen (Victor Lewis and Gary Thomas) ENJA Records

HERE ON EARTH, Ingrid Jensen (featuring Gary Bartz) ENJA Records

VERNAL FIELDS, Ingrid Jensen (featuring George Garzone) ENJA Records

COLLAGE, Christine Jensen, Effendi Records

ANOTHER WORLD, Dena De Rose, Sharp Nine Records

THE NEWCOMER, George Colligan, Steeplechase Records

NINI GREENE, Virginia Mayhew, (featuring Kenny Barron) Chiaroscuro Records

YOUTH SONIC (with Chris Potter and George Colligan) Swing Journal Production

LEAVE IT TO DIVA, DIVA Ltd.

SOMETHING’S COMING, DIVA Ltd.

OFF THE WALL, Dan Wall (with Adam Nussbaum) ENJA Records

FIND A WAY, Joel Miller, Isthmus Records

MACHINATION, Helene Labarrierre, Duex Z

FE&MALES, Vienna Art Orchestra, Polygram Amadeus Records

IF WOMEN RULED THE WORLD, Ethel Ennis, Denon Records

BRIGHT LIGHTS, Johannes Enders, ENJA Records

European Tours: With the IJQ at the North Sea Jazz Festival, the JVC in Paris and the Kongsberg Festival in Norway.  With the Maria Schneider Orchestra; the Metropol Orchestra; the Maggi Olin Sextet; The Frankfort Radio Big Band; and appeared with the Clark Terry, Roy Hargrove, Tom Harrell, and Benny Bailey in the Trumpet Summit in Amsterdam. Featured also with the Aki Takase and Johannes Enders groups.

 North American Concerts and Festivals: the Mingus Big Band; Maria Schneider; Marc Copland Quintet; the Virginia Mayhew Quintet; Darryl Grant; Allan Jones and as a leader at the 1997 Beaches Jazz Festival with Leon Parker.  At the Jazz Standard; Flushing Town Hall, Birdland and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Jensen led her own Quartets.  Featured soloist: with DIVA at the 25^th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center; with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, DIVA and the All-Star Ensemble at the Kennedy Center’s 1996 and 1997 Women in Jazz Festivals, Brazil and Japan tours with Maria Schneider and the IJQ.

Clinics, Adjudicating and Concerts: Reno Jazz Festival; Semiahmoo Jazz Festival; University of Kansas; Elon College, North Carolina; the New England Conservatory; Berkley College of Music; Musicfest Canada, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the 1995, 1996, and 1998 IAJE Conventions.

Other Teaching: Professor of Trumpet and Big Band at Austria’s Bruckner Conservatory; Artist-in-residence at the Berlin Hochschule and at the New World School of the Arts in Miami; instructor at the Jamey Aebersold workshop and visiting artist at Tufts University in Boston and the New Westminster Jazz camp in Vancouver, Canada.

Awards: Jensen’s debut album, Vernal Fields, won Canada’s 1995 Juno Award in the “Best Mainstream Artist of the Year” and The Boston Globe voted it #2 in the Critic’s Choice “Best New Artist of the Year” category.  She placed first in the 1995 “Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition” and was the recipient of the 1996 “Best Newcomer” Award from the Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland.  Second in 1999 DownBeat poll for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition.

Other: Musical Curator of the OMI Music Workshop in New York; mentor to the Sisters in Jazz ensemble at the IAJE 1998 convention; featured on the Fifth Estate CBC television special with Diana Krall and the national CBC radio interviews with Peter Gzowski, Ross Porter, and Vicki Gabaro.  Featured on Billy Taylor’s “Live from the Kennedy Center” and Marian McPartland’s “Piano Jazz.”

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Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble

The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America

The Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble is a group of 18 musicians whose repertoire ranges from traditional big band and swing to modern jazz.  They have backed jazz greats such as Tex Benecke, Denis DiBlasio, Jamey Aebersold, Mike Smith, Bobby Shew, Allen Vizzutti, Jeff Jarvis, Mike Vax, Vaughn Nark, Bill Porter, Carmen Bradford, Shirley Chauvin, Steve Smith, Steve Houghton, and Walt Levinsky.  The ensemble is often requested for feature performances at jazz clinics and festivals.  They also pay frequent tribute to the Air Force’s musical heritage, and have collaborated with actor Wilford Brimley on a highly-acclaimed salute to Major Glenn Miller.

 “One of the best military bands in the world!”  --Chicago Tribune

 “Forty-five minutes before concert time, people were lined [up].  Two hours later, they were giving a standing ovation…An incredibly outstanding musical event!”  --Quincy Herald-Whig

 “Many thanks for sharing your stirring music with me and for all of your outstanding performances on behalf or our country!”  --Former President Ronald Reagan

MASTER SARGENT MARK A. HANSEN, a native of Newport News, Virginia, is a saxophonist with the USAF Band of Mid-America.  He performs with the Concert and Ceremonial Bands, and serves as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge and Musical Director of the Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble.  In addition, Sargent Hansen is in charge of the Band of Mid-America’s Operations section.

Sargent Hansen attended Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1985.  While in college, he studied with Jimmy Mosher, Joe Viden, and Rich Matteson.  He also toured nationally with Buddy Morrow and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

In June of 1987, Sargent Hansen enlisted in the United States Air Force, and was assigned to the USAF Band of Mid-America at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.  In 1989, he received the John Levitow Honor Graduate award upon completion of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Course, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.  Sargent Hansen is a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy held at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in 1996.  His military decorations include the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal.