Bonnie J Jensen CD Review

Ross Beckley and Veronique Moseley

Bonnie J Jensen’s latest album “The Sapphire Tree” is her third and in our opinion a gem. Described in her bio as “a versatile and internationally experienced acoustic-orientated jazz musician”, Bonnie is again touring Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong where her reputation keeps her performances in high demand. This CD  represents why audiences are so keen to hear her perform. She is an accomplished piano player and jazz singer with a voice that moves effortlessly from genre to genre - standard jazz to blues to funk or pop.

The album contains an interesting mix - from the classic Dizzy Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisia, to a brilliant rendition of U2’s I still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Three original compositions written by Bonnie, including the title track The Sapphire Tree all have traits of the jazz classic. Neon Soliloquy  is simply poetic and sensually scintillating. AeroBlue has a laid back blues feel and highlights Bonnie’s versatile vocal abilities. All three pieces are inspiring and hopefully a sign that the next album will contain more original Jensen material.

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A sensational line up of renowned Australian Jazz musicians contributed to “The Sapphire Tree”. Including the Aria Award winning band Wanderlust - Miroslav Bukovsky on trumpet & flugelhorn,  pianist Alister Spence, guitarist Jeremy Sawkins, Craig Walters on Saxophone, Jonathan Zwartz on bass and Fabian Hevia on drums and percussion.  Bonnie herself  plays piano on 4 of the 11 tracks and co-produced the album.

 Sheer listening pleasure suitable for many occasions, this one rates highly in our books.