When Ingrid Jensen raises her horn at the TD Victoria International JazzFest, it won’t just be another stop on tour – it’ll be a full-circle moment.
For Jensen and bandleader Renee Rosnes, the Victoria gig hits close to home – literally. The jazz heavyweights both cut their teeth on B.C.’s coast, and now they’re back, leading one of the most explosive bands in modern jazz.
Artemis, one of the headline acts at this year’s JazzFest, has been taking the jazz world by storm. The group’s third album, Arboresque, was released to critical acclaim. They’ve been named Jazz Group of the Year by DownBeat readers two years in a row, and the Jazz Journalists Association recently crowned them Mid-Sized Ensemble of the Year.
Jensen, a graduate of the now-defunct music program at Vancouver Island University, has reached some of jazz's highest heights. Jumping from Nanaimo to Berklee to eventually heading the jazz department at the Manhattan School of Music, she’s built an international reputation for her lyrical tone and fearless improvisation.
“We literally get into the studio and away we go. Then as we tour, the music evolves. That’s how good friendships and good things in life tend to go.”
Speaking to Monday Magazine before an Artemis gig in Pittsburgh, Jensen talked about the vibrancy of Vancouver Island’s jazz community, how Nanaimo became an incubator for jazz musicians, and how the now-dead music program at VIU played a vital role in nurturing generations of talent.
“Any music program being shut down is a disaster,” Jensen says. “They should be getting more funding. We need the arts. We need people with music.”
Rosnes, for her part, was raised in North Vancouver and attended the University of Toronto. Now based in New Jersey, Rosnes continues to tour, record and write, and is at the helm of Artemis as both pianist and musical director.
With Arboresque, the group’s third album, Artemis leans into themes of nature, change and growth – something Jensen said reflects the band’s evolving sound and deepening trust.
“We literally get into the studio and away we go,” she says. “Then as we tour, the music evolves. That’s how good friendships and good things in life tend to go.”
In addition to Jensen and Rosnes, Artemis features:
- Nicole Glover, tenor sax, Portland, Oregon
- Noriko Ueda, bassist from Hyogo, Japan (now based in New York)
- Allison Miller, drummer, also based in New York.
Named for the goddess of the hunt, Artemis is reflective of the band’s relentless pursuit of excellence.
With five musicians of international repute – each constantly collaborating with other jazz greats and continually honing their craft – Jensen says jazz lovers can expect a show that’s alive, spontaneous and in-tune with the audience.
“The harder they listen, the better we play,” Jensen says.
This year’s TD Victoria International JazzFest runs from June 20 to 29, with across 11 venues in Victoria and Esquimalt. Artemis will take the stage on , as part of the festival’s Marquee Series at the Royal Theatre.
Find the full JazzFest schedule and performance details at
