IAN CHRISTENSEN

Christensen’s musical approach is fiercely dedicated to improvisation in every sense. From the interaction between his keen ensemble members, to his own melodic construction that shies away from cliché, he unabashedly displays that he is a capable risk-taker. Perhaps it was his musical upbringing which is firmly ensconced in the jazz tradition by legendary Portland teachers such as Alan Jones, Thara Memory, and Randy Porter. Or maybe Christensen forged his own path by taking cues from the teachers he studied with in New York; pioneers of the musical unknown like Andrew Cyrille, Ben Street, Chris Speed, and Bill McHenry. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that Christensen speaks the jazz language in a way that few artists of his generation would dare to speak it. from http://pjce.org