Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Bill Easley: A Life Lived Through Every Era of Modern Jazz
Some musicians pass through jazz history. Bill Easley has lived it—from Harlem jam sessions to Stax Records, from Arctic military bands to Broadway’s brightest lights.

A Prodigy from Upstate New York
Born January 13, 1946, in Orleans, New York, Easley was already a working professional by age thirteen, gigging with his parents and absorbing the craft from the inside. When he arrived in New York City in 1964, he dove straight into the deep end—studying part-time at the legendary Juilliard School while simultaneously earning his real education in Harlem’s uptown jazz clubs, learning directly from the masters who made the music breathe.

An Unexpected Arctic Interlude
Then came an unexpected detour: the draft. Suddenly, Easley found himself stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the 9th Army Band. It wasn’t exactly 52nd Street, but as any true musician knows, you make music wherever you are—even when surrounded by snow instead of skyscrapers.

The Real Education Begins
Back in action by the late ’60s, Easley was playing the legendary rooms that defined the era—Minton’s Playhouse, the Plugged Nickel, The Jazz Workshop, The Hurricane—standing shoulder to shoulder with George Benson. These weren’t just gigs; they were nightly master classes in jazz history happening in real time, each set a conversation with the greats.

Memphis Soul and Stax Swagger
The ’70s brought a southern migration to Memphis, where Easley entered Isaac Hayes’ orbit, laying down tracks at the iconic Stax and Hi Records—the studios where soul music was being redefined. Even while pursuing his formal education at Memphis State University, he was out there every night with big bands and show bands, whatever was swinging.

Then came the gig that changes everything for any jazz musician: touring with the Duke Ellington Orchestra under Mercer Ellington in the mid-’70s. To play that book, to carry that legacy—it’s a responsibility and an honor few ever experience.

The Great White Way Calls
By 1980, Broadway beckoned, and Easley answered. His theater credits read like a greatest-hits compilation: Sophisticated Ladies, The Wiz, Black and Blue, Jelly’s Last Jam, Fosse—the shows that defined an era of musical theater and kept the jazz tradition alive on the world’s most famous stages.

Never Just a Pit Musician
But here’s the thing about Bill Easley: he never stopped being a jazz cat. Between curtain calls, he was in recording studios with pianists Sir Roland Hanna and Mulgrew Miller, organists Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith, vocalist Ruth Brown, and drummers Grady Tate and Billy Higgins. He recorded for respected labels like Sunnyside and Milestone, keeping one foot firmly planted in the jazz tradition even as the other tapped out Broadway rhythms.

Master of Many Voices
Saxophone, flute, clarinet—Easley commands them all with the hard-won wisdom of someone who’s witnessed every chapter of modern jazz unfold firsthand. From bebop to soul jazz, from Broadway pits to intimate club dates, he’s been there, absorbed it, and made it part of his musical DNA.

Still Writing the Story
And the best part? Bill Easley is still out there, still playing, still adding new chapters to a story that now spans six decades and counting. In a world obsessed with the next new thing, there’s something deeply reassuring about a musician who has mastered the art of being present—in every era, in every room, in every note.

That’s not just a career. That’s a life lived in service to the music itself.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Ingrid Jensen: From Subway Platforms to the World’s Greatest Stages
Born on January 12, 1966, in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Ingrid Jensen grew up in nearby Nanaimo, Canada, where she first picked up the trumpet as a child. What began as childhood curiosity blossomed into exceptional talent—so much so that scholarship offers poured in. Jensen made her way through Malaspina University before landing at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where her distinctive voice on the trumpet truly began to emerge.

Hustle and Heart in the Big Apple< Like so many jazz dreamers before her, Jensen arrived in New York City determined to make her mark. Her early days weren't glamorous—she played in subway stations, trumpet case open for tips, honing her chops and building confidence one commuter at a time. It was the kind of apprenticeship that forges character as much as skill, and Jensen emerged from it ready to take on the jazz world.

Breaking Through
Her rise to prominence has been both steady and impressive. Jensen has signed with and released albums on respected labels including Enja, Justin Time, Universal, and ArtistShare. Her debut album, Vernal Fields, featuring drumming legend Lenny White, saxophonist George Garzone, and bassist Larry Grenadier, earned her a Juno Award—Canada’s highest musical honor. She’s been nominated for several more since, cementing her status as one of jazz’s essential voices.

A Musical Life in Motion
Today, Jensen divides her time between leading her own projects and serving as a featured soloist with the Grammy Award-winning Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra—one of the most celebrated large ensembles in contemporary jazz. She’s also a sought-after educator, guest-teaching at prestigious universities around the world, sharing not just technique but the wisdom gained from decades on the bandstand.

Family Harmony
Music runs deep in the Jensen family. Ingrid occasionally collaborates with her sister, the accomplished saxophonist Christine Jensen, creating performances that showcase not just their individual artistry but the intuitive connection that only siblings can share.

A Who’s Who of Collaborators
ensen’s résumé reads like a jazz encyclopedia. She’s performed with Steve Wilson, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gary Bartz, Bob Berg, Terri Lyne Carrington, Geoffrey Keezer, Chris Connor, Clark Terry, Frank Wess, Dr. Billy Taylor, and the DIVA Big Band, among many others. Each collaboration has added another dimension to her musical vocabulary.

Beyond Jazz
Her trumpet has also crossed genre boundaries—she’s performed with British soul singer Corinne Bailey Rae on Saturday Night Live and even backed comedian Denis Leary, proving that great musicianship transcends stylistic borders.

Still Climbing
Ingrid Jensen continues to perform, record, and tour, bringing her warm tone, impeccable technique, and creative spirit to audiences worldwide. From those early days busking in New York subway stations to standing ovations on international stages, her journey is a testament to talent, perseverance, and an unshakeable belief in the power of music.

For anyone who loves the sound of a trumpet played with both virtuosity and soul, Ingrid Jensen is essential listening.

More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trumpet

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Patt Casion was born Patt Spears on December 31, 1963 in the Monterey Peninsula, California and grew up in Marina where she learned to play music while at church. It was there she started building her musical chops that led to her attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where one of her classmates was Lalah Hathaway, daughter of Donny Hathaway.

Opportunity gave way to her playing local gigs and recording two albums and took her to many places around the world, one was as a member of the Church of God Christ International Orchestra based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Soprano saxophonist Patt Casion, who after a two year battle with cancer, died on December 31, 2017 at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula at the age of 55.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Anna Maria Jopek was born on December 14, 1970 in Warsaw, Poland, the daughter of Mazowsze singer Stanisław Jopek, known as the First Coachman of Poland.

Representing her country in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Ale jestem, she finished 11th out of 25 competitors. By 2002 she was collaborating on an album with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny. She has received numerous awards for her music, including Michel Legrand’s Personal Award in Vitebsk, Belarus in 1994.

Anna has sung with Polish musicians Marek Grechuta, Jeremi Przybora and Wojciech Młynarski as well as abroad with Youssu’n Dour, Bobby McFerrin, Ivan Linz, Branford Marsalis, Nigel Kennedy, Richard Bona, Oscar Castro-Neves, Makoto Ozone, Sting and Gonzalo Rubalcaba among others.

In 2015, Jopek received the Knight’s Cross Order of Polonia Restituta conferred by President Bronisław Komorowski for promoting Polish art worldwide.

Vocalist, songwriter and improviser Anna Maria Jopek, who has recorded twelve studio and two live albums as a leader, continues to pursue beyond the boundaries of her musical range.

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Requisites

That’s Where It’s At ~ Stanley Turrentine | By Eddie Carter

Stanley Turrentine was an exceptionally prolific tenor saxophonist who garnered numerous admirers throughout his career. He is widely recognized as a key contributor to the evolution of blues-inspired hard bop and soul jazz, as well as a trailblazer in smooth jazz. This morning’s featured album submitted for your approval is a 1962 release, That’s Where It’s At (Blue Note BLP 4096/BST 84096). This record was his second collaboration with pianist Les McCann and bassist Herbie Lewis, coming on the heels of their live performance at the Village Gate just a week prior. Drummer Otis Finch completes this dynamic quartet. The copy in my library is the 2020 Blue Note Tone Poet Series stereo reissue, which maintains the original catalog number.

The album opener, Smile, Stacey by Les McCann, begins with a brief dialogue between Stanley and Les that leads into the foursome’s theme. Stanley takes charge first, delivering a driving energy and brisk articulation. Les then swings in for the second interpretation. Herbie takes a short, sharply executed walk next, which Les finishes, then

Stanley and Les share a brief exchange with Otis before the ensemble’s soft fadeout. The quartet then cools down for Soft Pedal Blues by Stanley Turrentine, which starts with the trio’s slow-burning, soulful intro. Turrentine’s notes are placed with thoughtful precision during the melody and opening statement. McCann caresses each note of the second solo, and Turrentine delicately shapes a final comment into the theme’s restatement and slow fade.

Pia by Les McCann begins with the quartet easing into a mellow groove as the melody is introduced. Les initiates the solos with some good down-home cooking. Stanley steps in next, maintaining the calm atmosphere with a thoughtful message before the ensemble reunites for the closing chorus, which gently fades away. We’ll See Yaw’ll After While, Ya Heah by Les McCann is the pianist’s lively composition with a distinctly Southern flavor. After the quartet’s theme gets things off to a good start, Turrentine leads off the first solo, delivering each verse with precise articulation. McCann responds with a spirited interpretation that gets listeners tapping their feet and grinning along until the group’s return for the ending theme.

The tempo slows down again for Dorene, Don’t Cry, I, by Les McCann, a haunting ballad that begins with the ensemble’s beautiful melody. Stanley fully embraces the opening statement by gently attending to every note with careful lyricism and sensitivity. Les follows with something significant to say in a gorgeous performance preceding the tender reprise and close. Light Blue, by Stanley’s brother, Tommy Turrentine, brings this entertaining album to a close with a lightly swinging melody that invites listeners to sit back and enjoy the ride. McCann takes the lead with a loose, relaxed reading, then Lewis provides a few moments of pure joy. Turrentine offers the final memorable moment ahead of the group’s out chorus.

Alfred Lion produced the initial session of That’s Where It’s At, and Rudy Van Gelder was behind the dials of the recording. Joe Harley supervised the audiophile reissue, and Kevin Gray mastered the album from the original analog tapes at Cohearant Audio. The album’s sound quality is outstanding, with a stunning soundstage that transports the musicians to the sweet spot in your listening room with superb fidelity. The record was pressed on 180-gram Virgin Vinyl at RTI and is dead silent until the music begins. You’re also getting high-definition gatefold photos and superb cover packaging worthy of hanging on the wall. If you’re already a member of the Stanley Turrentine or Les McCann fan club, I highly recommend That’s Where It’s At on your next record hunt. If you aren’t already familiar with either musician, this record is an excellent introduction to their extensive discographies!

~ Les McCann Ltd. In New York (Pacific Jazz PJ-45/ST 45) – Source: Discogs.com © 2025 by Edward Thomas Carter

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