Duvall woman releasing debut CD

Published 10:32 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

Jill Jenson has always had a love of music, jazz in particular, even studying jazz vocal as her college major at the University of Miami.

She worked as a disc jockey at a Portland jazz radio station after finishing her studies and spent some time dabbling in voice-over work, but she never developed her musical/vocal career much further than that.

More than a decade ago, the Duvall resident said she put her musical aspirations on hold for the corporate life, becoming a senior executive and then a consultant for high-profile companies.

Her enthusiasm for jazz never waned, though she said she was completely out of the musical realm during her corporate pursuits.

So, a few years ago when she finally turned her dormant passion into something tangible, she surprised many who knew her only as a businesswoman.

“It’s interesting because most of my friends didn’t ever know me as a singer,” she said. “They knew I sang, but it’s been an adjustment to watch me change from my career focus to music … it’s like [there is] a whole other side of me that they never knew existed.”

At age 40, she is releasing her self-titled debut CD.

Select songs are available online now at her Web site, www.jilljenson.com, with a full-album release online in February and in stores in April. Her first single is “That’s The Way Of The World,” a cover of the Earth, Wind & Fire song.

She said that she is working right now to secure a distribution deal through a record label.

Being 40 and just now emerging in pursuit of a vocation known for celebrating youth doesn’t worry her, she said.

“For the type of music I’m doing, we’re really going for the age group that I am a part of,” she said, noting that she is not trying to compete in the pop music genre, though she does call her sound a blend that is on the pop end of the jazz spectrum.

Jenson, who cited her musical influences to be Ella Fitzgerald, Tower of Power and Sarah Vaughan, among others, said the album was influenced by the music of Earth, Wind & Fire.

She described its sound as smooth jazz and adult contemporary.

“I decided that if something were to happen, this is my shot,” said Jenson, who grew up in a musical household. “I’m thrilled, [the CD and the experience] has become a much bigger deal than I originally thought.”

In 2002, Jenson said that she had a chance meeting with a college friend whom she hadn’t seen in years: Tim Cashion, who has made a career doing vocals, keyboarding, writing and production for various artists in the music industry including Grand Funk Railroad and Bob Seger.

That’s when Jenson says she decided to pursue music as a career. The Portland born and raised Jenson, who is currently a consultant at Microsoft, works in Issaquah and was able to develop her own schedule; though the album still took two years to complete in order to work around various participants’ schedules.

She recorded in New York and North Carolina studios.

“I always wanted to [make an album], but it always seemed like the wrong time,” she said, noting that almost immediately after the meeting, she and Cashion began talking about doing a project together. Cashion eventually settled into the role of producer and the main songwriter, though Jenson did write one song for the album.

“I made a decision that I didn’t want to continue to live my life doing a 40-hour-a-week, eight-to-five job trying to climb the corporate ladder,” Jenson said.

Jenson, who hadn’t been in the music scene since working at KMHD radio in Portland after college, said she saw the professional shift lead to a personal shift, as well. She lost 130 pounds over a year and a half by creating her own diet plan and working with a trainer.

“Making this record for me and making this career change is all part of a larger change for me,” she said. “I made myself a priority rather than my career.”

Jenson, who also plays the piano and the guitar, and Cashion sought advice from another college friend, music producer Matt Pierson. So interested was he in her vocal abilities, he became her executive producer.

“Once I heard the strength and maturity of her voice and Tim’s excellent production and songwriting, I jumped at the chance to get involved,” Pierson said in Jenson’s CD press release.

Joining Jenson on her album are guitarists Brian Monroney, who has worked with Gloria Estefan and Tom Jones, Bruce Kulick (Kiss, Michael Bolton) and Chuck Loeb (Stan Getz), along with bassist James Genus (Anita Baker, Vanessa Williams) and percussionists Bashiri Johnson (Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Miles Davis and Madonna) and Jose Rossy (Talking Heads, Patti Labelle).

The record also features the sounds of the saxophone, flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, cello, piano, drums and mandolin.

“All of a sudden, now I have a team,” she said. “Nobody anticipated how big this would be.”

Regardless of how successful the album is, Jenson said she is enthusiastic about the fact that she took a chance and made a change in her life; she is embracing its potential whole-heartedly.

A music video is in the works and there are plans to perform in the near future. There are also plans for another album.

“I’m willing to do just about anything,” she said. “I had so much fun doing this project.”

Various musical tracks are currently available through her own label, BaiMaiRecords, on Jenson’s Web site. For more information or to listen to select tracks, visit www.jilljenson.com.