Saxophones: Christine Jensen (alto, soprano), Neil Watson (alto), Niall Cade (tenor), Monica Jones (tenor), Kyle Wedlake (baritone)
Trumpets: Shane Hicks, Jenny Taylor, Richard Gillis, Matthew Walden
Trombones: Joel Green, Jeremy Duggleby, Francois Godere, Isabelle Lavoie
Piano: Will Bonness
Guitar: Larry Roy
Bass: Karl Kohut
Drums: Fabio Ragnelli
Conductor: Jill Townsend

The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra (WJO) is Canada’s first community-based, non-profit professional jazz orchestra. Founded in 1997 (registered as a charity in 2000), the WJO has matured to become an important part of Winnipeg’s cultural landscape, reflected in the ongoing support the organization receives from the Manitoba Arts Council, the Winnipeg Arts Council, the Winnipeg Foundation, and other sponsors. 

Tidal Currents: East Meets West – The WJO’s seventh release – features a commission between two of Canada’s most compelling writers for big band jazz: Jill Townsend and Christine Jensen. The music born of this meeting reflects on the places that meant the most to them, especially the bodies of water that surrounded them both in their youth up until the present. Townsend captures images and sounds of her east coast upbringing, unfolding into Jensen’s west coast childhood memories. 

The music moves into the waters surrounding them at present, including Townsend’s now west coast land and waterscape and Jensen’s explorations of her Montreal environs on the powerful St-Lawrence seaway. They have blended their compositions into one suite with the WJO: Tidal Currents, an East meets West Collaboration. Both composers are featured as guest artists, with Jill Townsend as conductor and Christine Jensen as soprano saxophone soloist. 

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Release Date: Friday, February 2nd 2024 on Chronograph Records.