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Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones plays tenor saxophone and piano and composes most of the band's music and has worked with Joseph Jarman, Cecil Taylor, Steve Coleman, Don Cherry, and Peter Apfelbaum; as well as a variety of Haitian, Caribbean and African bands. These inﬂuences helped form her compositional direction which is grounded in the jazz tradition and, as is truly traditional in jazz, reaches for new directions and a unique sound. Aside from working and recording with the Jessica Jones Quartet, Jessica is active as a sideman.

Jessica has begun incorporating spoken word artists as well as the lush vocal stylings of daughter Candace Jones into her compositions, ﬁnding great inspiration in the textures of new collaborations.

Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness: Sextet

Read "Sextet" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
May 7, 2025

Dopo un primo album in trio (2011) e un secondo in quartetto (2019), Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness, il gruppo fondato da Tony Jones e Charlie Burnham (qui impegnato nei primi due brani anche alla voce) si amplia a sestetto per questo suo nuovo lavoro (inciso alla fine del 2023), evidenziando specificità di organico (e quindi timbriche e nel contempo dinamiche) assolutamente nuove, raddoppiando anzitutto i sassofoni tenore, che non disdegnano cavalcate a due voci di sicuro appeal (anche senza accompagnamento ...

Album Review

Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness: Sextet

Read "Sextet" reviewed by Thierry De Clemensat

by Thierry De Clemensat
April 22, 2025

Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness is a collective of musicians who stand among the most representative of the New York jazz scene in 2025. Initially formed as a quartet, the group was founded by Tony Jones and Charlie Burnham, two of the most captivating artists of the ensemble, who are later joined by Kenny Wollesen, Marika Hughes, Jessica Jones and Rashaan Carter. Given the group's initial configuration, it is evident that their music and compositions are not meant for ...

Album Review

Jessica Jones Quartet: Edible Flowers

Read "Edible Flowers" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
January 3, 2025

The Jessica Jones Quartet's Edible Flowers can be described as a pair of hot tenor saxophonists cranking things up and shouting out one freewheeling romp (or rant) after another. There is a structure to her tunes, but the improvisation slice of the pie is a big one. Saxophonist Jones is joined by her sax mate, Tony Jones, bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Deszon Claiborne in this “no chording instrument quartet." The group is reminiscent of Ornette Coleman's band of New ...

Radio & Podcasts

Saxophonist Jessica Jones is on a Continuum

by UDEiGWE
May 19, 2019

Jessica Jones Quartet's latest album, Continuum, is the product of an earnest and organic execution of musical creativity. Continuum features Jessica Jones on tenor saxophone, tony Jones on tenor saxophone, Stomu Takeishi on bass, Kenny Wollesen on drums, Devante Dunbar on alto saxophone, Ed Reed on vocals, Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, and Mamadou Sidibe on Kamali ngoni. Joins Jessica and me as we talk about the album, the Bay area, cats in Africa, and other not quite related topics. Playlist ...

Album Review

Jessica Jones Quartet: Moxie

by Dan Bilawsky
November 21, 2015

Moxie is both an extension of tenor saxophonist Jessica Jones' previous work and a glimpse back to an earlier point in her career: she continues to explore the possibilities inherent in a piano-less quartet with a two-tenor front line while reuniting with a rhythm duo that she worked with in the '80s--bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Kenny Wolleson. The music that she makes here, with that team and fellow tenor/husband Tony Jones, is predictably unpredictable, grounded yet far-reaching, and irresistibly ...

Album Review

Jøkleba: Outland

by Vic Albani
April 9, 2015

Jøkleba giunge al quinto capitolo della propria storia approdando finalmente sulle spiagge ECM. Il più imprevedibile dei gruppi della Norvegia contemporanea omaggia il trionfo dell'enfasi elettronica correlando il discorso musicale a quello (citato iconograficamente nel libretto di copertina) del pittore, compositore e scrittore elvetico Adolf Wölfli (1864-1930) che passò oltre metà della propria vita in un ospedale psichiatrico. Il fiume musicale è ricco e minimalista. Parla di colore e pulsione, di collettivo e di ispirazione e sembra voler porre in ...

Album Review

Jessica Jones & Mark Taylor: Live at the Freight

Read "Live at the Freight" reviewed by Jeff Dayton-Johnson

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
August 29, 2012

Live at the Freight chronicles a June 2011 date at the venerable Freight & Salvage coffeehouse in Berkeley, California, co-led by tenor saxophonist Jessica Jones and French horn and mellophone player Mark Taylor. The compositions, all originals and mostly quite good, are split between the two leaders.The first slightly unusual twist to the quartet is the presence of the French horn, rather than a trumpet. Saxophonist Jones makes the case for the French horn this way: “Trumpeters don't ...

Recording

Rebecca Coupe Franks - New Release - Every Little Thing Counts - With Sheryl Bailey, Jessica Jones & More!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
August 6, 2020

Rebecca Coupe Franks (aka Coupe) was born and raised in Aptos, California and currently resides in Gardiner, New York after living in New York City for 10 years. Coupe's new release Every Little Thing Counts is a blend of styles; blues, jazz and singer/songwriter. It consists of 15 original songs/lyrics. All the songs are sung by Coupe who has a subtle and distinct voice. Coupe also plays her trumpet which she is renowned for throughout her 35-year career in the ...
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Performance / Tour

Tonight Two Bands! Two CD Release Performances! Reva Records Presents: Pitch, Rhythm & Consciousness Quartet And Jessica Jones Quartet At Shapeshifter Lab!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
February 8, 2019

Jessica and Tony Jones CD Release Performances February 8 at ShapeShifter Lab! Jessica Jones Quartet CONTINUUM & PITCH, RHYTHM AND CONSCIOUSNESS QUARTET Two Bands! Two CD Release Performances! Friday, February 8th Reva Records Presents: Pitch, Rhythm & Consciousness Quartet and Jessica Jones Quartet CD release concert ShapeShifter Lab 18 Whitwell Place Brooklyn, NY 11215 phone: 646-820-945 Continuum: DownBeat ...
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Recording

Jessica Jones And Tony Jones Two New Releases January 22! Jessica Jones Quartet Continuum (with Special Guest Ambrose Akinmusire) & Pitch, Rhythm And Consciousness Quartet

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
December 29, 2018

Jessica Jones Quartet CONTINUUM with Special Guest Ambrose Akinmusire PLUS: PITCH, RHYTHM AND CONSCIOUSNESS QUARTET Tuesday, January 8th at 7pm Reva Records 'Live' Recording featuring vocalist Candace Jones (during Jazz Congress week. Join us!) ShapeShifter Lab 18 Whitwell Pl. Brooklyn, New York 11215 phone: 646-820-945 Sunday, January 13th at 1pm Jessica Jones Quartet “Continuum" CD release concert with special guests The Back Room
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Recording

Jessica Jones Quartet New CD "Moxie" Release Performance December 21 At ShapeShifter Lab

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
November 25, 2015

Jessica Jones Quartet New CD Moxie Two-Tenor Sax Madness! Release Date: December 8, 2015 CD Release Performance: December 21, 2015 ShapeShifter Lab - NYC Phone: 646-820-9452 Reunited After 30 Years! This rare two-tenor quartet (with Jessica and Tony Jones on tenors) busts things wide open with new music, joined by old friends! Moxie is the new release (December 8, 2015) from the Jessica Jones Quartet, reuniting band members from one ...
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Recording

Jessica Jones Quartet New CD "Moxie" - Two-Tenor Sax Madness!

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
October 17, 2015

This rare two-tenor quartet busts things wide open with new music, joined by old friends! Moxie is the new release (December 8, 2015) from the Jessica Jones Quartet, reuniting band members from one of the band's original incarnations from over 30 years ago. Jessica recruited bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Kenny Wollesen in the early 1980's when they were both still studying at the New School. Since then they have gone on to stellar careers in the creative jazz world, ...
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Interview

Saxophonist Jessica Jones Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
March 24, 2009

Tenor saxophonist Jessica Jones has worked with the likes of Joseph Jarman, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Steve Coleman and Peter Apfelbaum. A current resident of Brooklyn, NY, she lives with her saxophonist/husband Tony and is a long time jazz educator focusing on children to develop their talent for improvising, composition and oral tradition.

She has previously released Family (Nine Winds, 1997) and Nod (New Artists, 2004). Word (New Artist, 2008) includes poetry, song, and some free jazz with husband Tony ...
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Performance / Tour

Allison Miller's Agrazing Maze (Tonight) James Carney (Sat) Jessica Jones Qt (Sun) & More at the Cornelia Street Cafe

Source: All About Jazz
October 28, 2005

October 28, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street Greenwich Village, NY 10014 Tel: 212-989-9319 Fax: 212-243-4207 Web: corneliastreetcafe.com between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1,9 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, F to West 4th St. “a culinary as well as a cultural landmark" Mayoral Proclamation, City of New York 1987 This Weekend at Cornelia Street Cafe Oct. 28 thg Oct. 30 Fri ...
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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I love teaching kids, it’s like the inverse of playing, like the Bizarro world of music. It keeps my perspective fresh and reminds me how magical the opportunity to play music is.

My teaching and consulting bio is here, but the short version is that I’ve been teaching since I was 16, with a focus on guiding kids in jazz, improvisation, ear-training and composition. It’s a great privilege to be able to introduce kids to their musical selves.

I have founded and run several music programs for kids, including the Youth Jazz Camp at Feather River, an Oakland, California based camp that was based entirely on oral tradition methods of teaching

Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I love teaching kids, it’s like the inverse of playing, like the Bizarro world of music. It keeps my perspective fresh and reminds me how magical the opportunity to play music is.

I have founded and run several music programs for kids, including the Youth Jazz Camp at Feather River, an Oakland, California based camp that was based entirely on oral tradition methods of teaching. I have done consulting for several youth music programs including Jazz Camp West and Cazadero Performing Arts Camp.

Cazadero in particular has had a huge influence on my teaching. I worked for ten plus years for CAMPS Incorporated, which ran the camp and had an emphasis on what they called “threshold ensembling,” which engaged beginning musicians in ensembles as a way to learn instrumental music. A decidedly non-Western approach, this included African drum ensembles, steel drum bands, Capoeira, Balinese Gamelan, Brazilian percussion groups and Phillipino Kulintang among other instruments. There is a distinct difference in the way you perceive music and one’s role in playing with others when you learn in an ensemble. It emphasizes community values over individual virtuosity. Out of this environment come musicians who can hear, are respectful, and value all kinds of different strengths in music. Often they do develop their individual virtuosity as well, but they understand it as a piece of something larger than themselves. This kind of training, to me, sets the stage for peace in our communities. We tend to be a very “American Idol”-heavy culture, and can use all the community we can get.

I currently teach at a Quaker school, which has a stated mission of valuing in a community much of what I value in a musical ensemble, so that’s a good match for me. I have built a 6-12 grade jazz program there, and have been able to do all kinds of interesting projects with the students and the school. Here you’ll find both my credentials and my adventures in teaching.

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