Ingrid Jensen: Here on Earth

Enja released Ingrid Jensen’s Here on Earth in 1997, but Justin Time recently licensed it from the German label so anyone who missed the Canadian trumpeter’s sophomore release can play catch up. Jensen sounds like a mature leader, even when her tone sounds a little thin, like on the muted “You Do Something to Me.” George Colligan contributes material along with Jensen, and saxophonist Gary Bartz appears on several tracks, including the trumpeter’s homage to Woody Shaw, “Woodcarvings.” One of the album’s more ambitious and successful moves is “Time Remembered,” a Bill Evans song that Jensen wrote lyrics for and has Jill Seifers sing. Seifers’ wordless vocals on Kenny Wheeler’s “Consolation” don’t fare as well; they’re more of a distraction to the arrangement than an embellishment. Colligan’s “Shiva’s Dance” and “Here On Earth” both bring out the strengths of the band, which also features bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Bill Stewart, as does the group’s version of Hank Mobley’s “Avila and Tequila.”

Originally Published March 1, 2005