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Kris Jensen
Member Since: 2013 | Location: Hartford | Page Views: 1,107 
About Me
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My Jazz Story
I love jazz because... it is the ultimate human expression of experience through music and
it is indelibly "American".
I was first exposed to jazz...snippets of Louis Armstrong on TV, radio. Leroy "Slam" Stewart
did school concerts in my hometown of Binghamton, NY as he had made it his home in his
later years
I met [musician name]... Jackie McLean in 1985 and studied with him for many years. After
a number or years as a student I was hired to be his assistant at the Hartt School University
of Hartford in the 1990's.
The best show I ever attended was...I have seen many great shows. I am mostly happy to
have gotten to see "Dizzy", Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, "Slam" Stewart, Hank Jones, Ray
Brown, Billy Higgins, Art Blakey, Art Farmer, Harold Land, Jackie McLean........and many
others before they died.
The first jazz record I bought was...2 records - Miles Davis Greatest Hits and Maynard
Ferguson "Chameleon". I would later get the chance to meet and record with the great
George Coleman who is on the Miles record and got tour with the great Maynard Ferguson.
My advice to new listeners...if you open your mind and your heart the music should pour
in. However, the experience is different for everyone depending on where they are coming
from (musically) and what jazz (genre) they are listening to. There is a lot of mediocre
music out there there bears the title of "jazz". Include the great masters - Art Tatum, Louis
Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane.....in your listening
and you will develop a stronger concept.
My House Concert Story
Favorite Places to See Jazz
Theme Song
Playlist
This page was last updated on 2021-08-05.
