About

“A trumpeter who’s as versatile as she is vigorous”
– The New York Times

Biography

Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Ingrid Jensen has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpeters of her generation. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1989, she went on to record three highly acclaimed CDs for the ENJA record label, soon becoming one of the most in-demand trumpet players on the global jazz scene.

After a teaching stint in Europe in her early twenties – as the youngest professor in the history of the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, Austria – Ingrid settled in New York City in the mid-1990s where she joined the innovative jazz orchestras of Maria Schneider (1994-2012) and Darcy James Argue (2002-present). More recently, Ingrid has performed with the Grammy-winning Terri-Lyne Carrington and her Mosaic Project, Helen Sung’s Sung with Words project and the highly acclaimed all-star ensemble, Artemis.

Ingrid is a featured soloist on the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra’s Juno-award-winning album, Treelines (2011), and its successor, Habitat (2013). She has performed with a multi-generational cast of jazz legends ranging from Clark Terry to Esperanza Spalding; Ingrid has also performed alongside British R&B artist Corrine Bailey Rae on Saturday Night Live, and recorded with Canadian pop icon Sarah McLachlan. In addition to her busy sideman and featured soloist schedule, Jensen leads her own quintet, quartet and organ trio. Her own bands have garnered glowing reviews and earned her a loyal fan base around the globe.

Jensen is also a dedicated jazz educator, having taught trumpet at the University of Michigan and Peabody Conservatory, performing and lecturing as a guest artist with the Thelonious Monk Institute High School group featuring Herbie Hancock, and performing and teaching at the Centrum Jazz Workshop, The Dave Brubeck Institute, the Banff Centre Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music and the Stanford Jazz Camp and the Geri Allen Jazz Camp for young women. She is currently on faculty at both Purchase College, and is serving as Interim Associate Dean and Director of Jazz Arts at Manhattan School of Music.

Since her victory at the Carmine Caruso Trumpet Competition in 1995, Jensen has since sat on the judges’ panel twice for said competition. She is regularly invited to trumpet festivals around the world and recently served as Artist-in-Residence at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival, performing with her own quintet and giving tribute to the great Geri Allen, with fellow Artist-in-Residence, Tia Fuller.

One of Ingrid’s most frequent and closest collaborators is her sister, saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen. The sisters release, Infinitude, featuring the brilliant guitarist Ben Monder, received heavy praise from the Jazz Community as did Ingrid’s latest recording, Invisible  Sounds.  The album,honoring the late great Kenny Wheeler, received critical acclaim and let to a feature on NPR’s Jazz Night in America hosted by Christian McBride.

Most recently Ingrid was chosen as the 2019 recipient of the Jazz Journalists Trumpeter-of-the-Year award.

Ingrid plays a custom Monette trumpet, built personally by the master builder Dave Monette.

As a Leader:

Invisible Sounds: For Kenny Wheeler with Steve Treseler (Whirlwind, 2018)

Infinitude with Christine Jensen (Whirlwind, 2016)

Kind of New with Jason Miles (Whaling City Sound, 2015) 

Flurry (ArtistShare, 2007)

At Sea (ArtistShare, 2005)

Now as Then (Justin Time, 2003)

Jam Session Vol. 4 (SteepleChase, 2002)

Higher Grounds (Enja, 1999)

Here on Earth (Enja, 1997)

Vernal Fields (Enja, 1994)

As a Sidewoman

with Darcy James Argue

  • Real Enemies (2016)

with Chris Connor

  • Haunted Heart (2001)

with Dena DeRose

  • Another World (1999)
  • United (2016)

with  the DIVA Big Band

  • Something’s Coming (Perfect Sound) (1996)

with Christine Jensen

  • Habitat (2013)
  • Treelines (2010)
  • Flurry (2007)
  • A Shorter Distance (2002)
  • Collage (2000)

with Geoffrey Keezer

  • Falling Up (2003)

with Virginia Mayhew

  • Chiaroscuro (1996)
  • Nini Green (1997)
  • Phantoms (2003)
  • No Walls (2004)
  • Simple Thank You (2008)

with Tobias Meinhart

  • Natural Perception (2015)

with Maggi Olin

  • Dreams (1999)
  • Live at Fasching (2002)

with Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal

  • Dans la forêt de ma mémoire (2015)

with the Maria Schneider Orchestra

  • Allegresse 2000
  • Days of Wine and Roses – Live at the Jazz Standard (2000)
  • Concert in the Garden (2004)
  • Sky Blue (2007)

with Judi Silvano

  • Let Yourself Go (2004)

with Steve Treseler

  • Center Song (2013)

with Marianne Trudel

  • La vie commence ici (2014)

with the Vienna Art Orchestra

  • FE & Males (1994)