Music Publications
List of Works For Large Ensemble
All scores and partitions are available for purchase.
Montreal-based Christine Jensen is regarded as one of Canada’s most compelling composers. A native of British Columbia, Jensen is an original voice on the international jazz scene, currently leading her own jazz orchestra in addition to several other diverse ensemble projects.
A prolific composer and busy performer, she has released three small group recordings as a leader, Collage (2000), A Shorter Distance (2002), and Look Left (2006), two more with Nordic Connect (a project that she co-leads with her sister Ingrid), Flurry (2007), and Spirals (2011), two Juno Award-winning large ensemble recordings, Treelines – The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2011), and Habitat (2014), and most recently, a new album of works for quintet entitled Infinitude (2017), featuring Ingrid and Ben Monder.
Jensen’s music has taken her all over the world, both through her work as a touring performer and a clinician, and in the form of numerous commissions and guest conducting opportunites with jazz orchestras in North America and Europe. In Canada, in addition to teaching saxophone and composition she divides her conducting time between The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra, l’Orchestre National de Jazz de Montréal and McGill University’s Jazz Orchestra 1.
Day Moon
Lead Sheets
PDF book of lead sheets for eight original compositions by Christine Jensen, as recorded on her 2023 Juno-winning album “Day Moon”.
Charts are provided in concert pitch, and additional transposed melody parts are also included for Bb, Eb, and Bass Clef instruments.
Tunes included: Balcony Rules, Day Moon, Girls Can Play The Blues, Quiescence Suite (I. Lined, II. TwentyTwenty Blues, III. Tolos d’Abril, IV. Étude de Mars), Wind Up
Instrumentation: Jazz Combos
The Dahlia Suite (Alto Sax & Piano)
This pretty and colourful instrumental solo piece for alto saxophone and piano is a suite in four movements:
- Undergrowth
- Still Morning Light
- August Bloom
- First Frost
While the composition is infused with lush jazz harmony throughout, no improvisation is required. It would be a wonderful piece to play on a classical saxophone recital programme. Each of the four movements could be performed separately as well.
Written for Vanessa Sielert, Catherine Anderson and the Duality Commissioning Consortium and first premiered in April 2025.
Instrumentation: Alto Saxophone & Piano
Level: Medium
Duration: approximately 14:00
Nishiyuu (Big Band)
(Score and Parts)
Nishiyuu is a beautiful extended work that showcases the 1st Tenor as the featured soloist throughout. Exactly as recorded by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on the Juno award-winning album “Habitat” (2013), featuring Chet Doxas. There is plenty here to challenge the band musically and creatively, but the brass ranges and technical demands are fairly reasonable throughout. This chart would make a wonderful long-form feature for a soloist on a concert program.
Alto Sax 1 doubles on flute and soprano sax, Alto Sax 2 on flute, and both Tenor Sax 2 and Baritone Sax double on clarinet.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 15:00
Style: Straight 8ths
Solos: Tenor Sax 1
Passing Lions Gate
(Score and Parts)
Passing Lions Gate is an exciting extended work that features the 5th trumpet throughout. The soloist has the option of using an effects pedal off the top, and the arrangement offers plenty of room for them to stretch and explore as the piece unfolds. There is a short bass cadenza towards the end of the chart, and plenty of material for the full ensemble.
As recorded by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on “Harbour” (2024), featuring Ingrid Jensen.
No doubles in the saxophone section, standard instrumentation.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Advanced
Duration: 13:00
Style: Med. Swing in 3/4 / Mixed-Metre
Solos: Trumpet 5, Bass (opt. additional solo for guitar or piano)
Cascadian Fragments
(Big Band)
Cascadian Fragments is a longer-form feature for the 1st tenor saxophone. The piano also gets a moment in the spotlight at the beginning, to weave a solo introduction into marvellous, colourful writing for the brass and woodwinds. As recorded by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on “Harbour” (2024).
Alto Sax 1 doubles on flute, Tenor Sax 1 (the featured soloist) doubles on clarinet, and both Tenor Sax 2 and Baritone Sax double on bass clarinets.
* Can be played with only 4 trumpets if necessary (5th part is optional).
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)*
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 9:30
Style: Straight 8ths / Mixed-Metre
Solos: Tenor Sax 1
Surge
(Big Band)
Surge begins as a beautiful, gentle waltz with solo space for the piano and trumpet, and moves to 4/4 gospel swing to feature the alto saxophone. As recorded by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on “Harbour” (2024).
Standard instrumentation, no doubles.
* While scored for 5 trumpets, in a pinch the chart could be played with only 4 players, by omitting the 5th part and featuring only a rhythm section soloist in the first solo section.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)*
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 9:30
Style: Jazz Waltz / Gospel Swing
Solos: Piano, Trumpet, Alto Sax 2
Arbutus
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. premiered by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra. Written with the assistance of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (2009).
This chart gives the lead alto player a chance to shine, in a nice up-tempo solo feature (a “concerto” of sorts) that weaves its way through written melodies and improvisation. The drums get a bit of the solo spotlight as well, and the band has lots of written material to play and trade back and forth with the soloists. The rich harmony and rhythmic interplay of the writing makes this one beautiful and exciting from start to finish. 1st Alto doubles on Soprano, 2nd Alto on Flute, and 2nd Tenor on Clarinet.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,4,4,4)
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 7:00
Style: Medium Up Swing
Solos: Drums, Alto Sax
Blue Yonder
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by the Amherst College Jazz Ensemble , Amherst MA (2012).
This is a richly scored composition based on Afro-Peruvian rhythms. As recorded on Habitat – The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2014). 2nd Alto sax doubles on flute, and there are optional parts included for both vibraphone and voice.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4 + opt. voice & vibraphone)
Level: Medium
Duration: 7:45
Style: Afro-Peruvian 12/8
Solos: Alto Sax, Baritone Sax, Piano, Vibraphone, Guitar or Bass
Dancing Sunlight
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. Written with the assistance of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. premiered by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2009).
Dancing Sunlight is a kind of mini-suite for jazz orchestra, with space for several different soloists and transitions in both tempo and meter. Dedicated to Emily Carr, the Canadian west coast painter and inspired by a particular painting of hers of the same title, this is a really beautiful composition of Christine’s. From the gorgeous brass chorale at the beginning to the soprano & trumpet melody, solo sections and all the way through to the serene ensemble passages that bring the piece to a close, this is sure to be a favourite for both band and audience. As recorded by The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on Treelines.
1st Alto doubles on Soprano, 2nd Alto on Flute, 1st Tenor on Clarinet, and all Trumpets on Flugelhorn.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4 + opt. voice & vibraphone)
Level: Medium
Duration: 7:45
Style: Afro-Peruvian 12/8
Solos: Alto Sax, Baritone Sax, Piano, Vibraphone, Guitar or Bass
Intersection
Score & Parts
For 18-piece jazz orchestra. Premiered by the Christine Jensen Big Band-manipulation project at at the Montreal Int’l Jazz Festival (2002).
This chart fuses and weaves repeating patterns and minimalist motives into a contemporary jazz groove in 5/4. The melodic lines and rhythmic pulse shift as the arrangement progresses and develops, but the driving rhythm and forward motion remains, and each of the several soloists gets a chance to shine.
As recorded by The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on Habitat.
Reed 1: Soprano, Flute
Reed 2: Alto, Flute
Reed 3: Tenor, Clarinet
Reed 4: Tenor, Clarinet
Reed 5: Baritone, Clarinet, Flute
Erratum: Score is written in concert pitch, but may be incorrectly marked as transposed in some copies. The music itself is correct; please excuse this printing error.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium
Duration: 11:30
Style: Swing (in 5/4)
Solos: Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Trumpet, Piano, Drums
Red Cedar
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. premiered by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra. Written with the assistance of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (2009).
Red Cedar is a challenging swing chart for more advanced improvisers. Along with solos for Trumpet 5 and Alto 2, the ensemble gets a chance to explore a variety of interesting colours, through inventive scoring and orchestration, the use of mutes and doubles, and opportunities for more creative comping from the rhythm section. As recorded by The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on Treelines.
Alto Sax 1 and 2 double on flutes, Trumpets 1-4 double on Flugelhorn.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Advanced
Duration: 9:45
Style: Easy Swing
Solos: Trumpet (or Piano or Guitar), Alto Sax
Seafever
Score & Parts
Commissioned by the Roots Orchestra (20-piece ensemble). Premiered at the Halifax Int’l Jazz Festival (2003). Re-orchestrated for the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2005).
This is a truly beautiful composition, a lyrical and expressive melody over a tango pattern that unfolds and develops throughout the chart. As recorded by The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on Treelines, this version of Seafever also includes an additional opening section of music that was omitted from the recording.
There is lots of solo space on this one, and plenty of melodic material for the band to play. This chart is sure to be a favourite for both the band and the audience.
Alto 1 doubles on Soprano Sax, Tenor 1 doubles on Clarinet, and there is an additional Flute part included (an optional 6th woodwind part).
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4 + opt. flute)
Level: Medium
Duration: 9:30
Style: Tango (Straight Eighths)
Solos: Tenor Sax, Trumpet (opt. Piano, Guitar or Bass)
Treelines
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by the University of Lincoln-Nebraska for the UNL Jazz Orchestra (2012).
Treelines is a longer-form chart that moves through a variety of moods, styles and tempos. Beginning with a slow, intense introduction of sparse intervals that builds into dense harmonic structures, a lively tune quickly emerges, played by the lead trombone and 2nd tenor. As the chart progresses, the rhythm and character continues to evolve, all the way into free improvisation from the two soloists. The tune returns, this time in 3/4, and the band plays an inventive re-working of the melody as they head out to the end. An exciting and creative chart, all the way through. As recorded on Habitat – The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2014).
Reed 1: Alto Sax (w/ Soprano)
Reed 2: Alto Sax (w/ Flute)
Reed 3: Tenor Sax (w/ Clarinet)
Reed 4: Tenor Sax
Reed 5: Baritone Sax (w/ Clarinet)
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 11:00
Style: Slow / Medium-Up Swing / Jazz Waltz
Solos: Alto Sax, Trumpet
Vernal Suite
Score & Parts
This is a beautiful chart that features solo trumpet playing the melody. Beginning and ending with rubato chorale sections, there are a few tempo and metre changes, and lots of written material for the band to support the soloists. As recorded on Treelines – The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra (2011). 1st Alto doubles on Soprano.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium
Duration: 9:30
Style: Jazz Waltz
Solos: Trumpet, Alto Sax (opt. Tenor, Guitar or Piano)
Western Yew
Score & Parts
For 18-piecejazz orchestra. premiered by the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra . Commissioned by Hugh Fraser with the Canada Council for the Arts (2009).
This slow waltz features soprano saxophone and trumpet melody and plenty of creative writing for the whole band. There are solos for soprano (in the 1st tenor chair) and piano, and several shorter improvised passages for the 5th trumpet. As recorded by The Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra on Treelines.
Alto Sax 1 & 2 double on Flute, Tenor Sax 1 on Soprano, and 2nd Tenor and Baritone on Clarinet.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 11:00
Style: Slow Waltz (Swing)
Solos: Soprano Sax, Trumpet, Piano
Wink
Score & Parts
For 18-piece jazz orchestra. Premiered at Vannes Jazz Festival with the Keystone Big Band, France (2013).
Wink is an exciting chart with an episodic form that moves from a New Orleans-style second line groove to up-tempo bluesy swing. There is lots of room for collective improvisation and additional solos as desired.
Saxes only, no doubles.
Instrumentation: Big Band (5,5,4,4)
Level: Medium/Advanced
Duration: 10:00
Style: Up Swing
Solos: Trombone 1, Tenor Sax 1, opt. Trumpet, etc.
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Harbour – Released June 26, 2024
