j' ai pris beaucoup de plasir a écouter ce disque cette jeune femme a une voix magnifique qui est surlignée par une formation musicale de trés grande qualité, j ai beaucoup aprécié ce jazz tres années 50 avec des reprises de grand classique de jazz, c' est vraiment un trés bon album, trés agréable, plein de charme, a tel point que je viens de commander les 2 autres albums de cette jeune femme.

With this, her third CD for La Brava, Bonnie J Jensen has moved up several artistic and creative notches. The Sapphire Tree is a highly mature and at the same time entertaining piece of work, a superb balance of the familiar and the new. Through this CD, Bonnie clearly demonstrates her wide range of influences and inspirations. Familiar jazz standards (Night In Tunisia, Angel Eyes, Night and Day) are here but are re-worked effectively to give the melodies a needed freshness and vigor. Tunes composed in the last 40 or so years by major instrumentalists like Brian Blade and Jimi Hendrix help cement their compositions as future standards and also introduce them to older (and sometimes even the younger) listeners. But above all are Bonnie’ own compositions, for which she also serves as her own lyricist (a double skill few have ever mastered – Cole Porter and Matt Dennis come most quickly to mind). The title track The Sapphire Tree is a haunting yet lyrical piece of work that ought to become an Australian standard. Aeroblue continues an almost ancient tradition, the blues, but brings it firmly into the new millennium. And Neon Soliloquy glows with rhythmic subtlety and lyrics that hint rather than yell at you, a common flaw among less-skilled wordsmiths. Bonnie’s credentials are impressive for one still very much in the prime of her career. She has earned a solid reputation with (now) three critically acclaimed albums and a performance history of exclusive international and local bookings. She continues to spend a large amount of each year working internationally, most recently in Hong Kong and Japan. Her second album, "Blue Joy" reached No. 8 in Japan's Swing Journal Jazz Vocal Charts during 2004. As if that were not enough, Bonnie is an accomplished piano player whose diverse influences range from Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Eliane Elias and Chet Baker, to John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock and Bob James. As a vocalist, she is blessed with astonishing accuracy and a deep feeling for her lyric. A sultry singer whose voice moves effortlessly from standard jazz to bossa nova, pop, blues and funk, she is clearly not a prisoner of any single musical style. Her band cannot be praised highly enough. A very prominent Australian musician/educator once told me he thought Mike Bukovsky is Australia’s best-ever trumpeter. Alister Spence provides marvelous keyboard support on several tracks, Craig Walters is consistently inventive on tenor and soprano, and Fabian Hevia, Jeremy Sawkins and Jonathan Swartz all contribute quite effectively. Unlike some vocalists, Bonnie is very democratic in allotting solo time, so the myriad talents of her band are brought to the fore on The Sapphire Tree. This exceptionally polished and inspiring CD is getting a fair bit of overseas airplay, notably in Japan, the UK and the USA. This is as it should be – few Australian albums showcase what is excellent about our nation’s jazz scene so comprehensively.

Bonnie J Jensen had a really hard act to follow with "Blue Joy". I thought it was going to be impossible for her to match but the more I listen to "Sapphire Tree" the more I realize she has done it and I want to here it again. "Aeroblue, Neon Soliloquy" is cool jazz as it should be. “Ain’t No Use” and Jimi Hendrix’s classic, “Little Wing” are brilliantly done showing a touch of blues which she is very at home with. Night is Tunisia was a surprise as I don't normally like a vocal version of it but this really is a great rendition, showing that she is a truly versatile singer, songwriter and pianist. The album is a great mix of songs allowing her to show off her style and the wide emotional range of her voice. I have seen her live performance now and she doesn’t disappoint. She is a real class act and has a large repertoire so another album should come soon I hope.

The back yard foliage is peaking, the temps are warm enough, the BBQ is hot, now you need the right music to lay down the right mood for your summer evening dinner party. My recommendation is this latest from Bonnie Jensen. Having thoroughly enjoyed her previous 2 CD's, Sapphire is the strongest most listenable yet, in my opinion. Try tuning it up with your next dinner party. Terrific mood it sets.