Jeni Loves Jazz
Rapid City Journal 7-11-03
by Lynn Taylor Rick

Jazz set(s) Jeni Fleming free. Trained as a classical pianist, the Montana musician knew what it was like to perform the music of Bach and Beethoven. She understood the significance of the work and put in years of careful study. But after playing the piano for 23 years, she realized that she still felt ill at ease with the instrument and the music.

Then she met Jake Fleming, and jazz.

She never looked back.

"There are so many rules to follow in classical that you often lose sight that it is still music," she said. "Classical music has such precedent…But jazz, what you're asked to do as a jazz musician is make it your own music."

Under the guidance of Jake, a Rapid City native and experienced jazz musician, Jeni began exploring vocal jazz. That was 10 years ago.

"I thought for sure I wanted to be an architect," Jeni said with a laugh. "But I met Jake and he kind of ruined everything."

The pair, who married in 2000, began playing with bassist Chad Langford while all three were students at Montana State University in Bozeman.

The trio played together on and off for years before deciding to give music a full-time shot in May. All three quit their day jobs, moved in together and turned their focus full-time to jazz and their group, The Jeni Fleming Acoustic Trio.

It's a huge commitment and a close working relationship, Jeni said. "It's a good thing we're doing something we love."

The group, which will perform as part of the Dahl Jazz Crawl on Saturday, sinks its musical talons into a wide array of styles. But weather they perform a folksy acoustic version of a Jerry Jeff Walker tune or a pop cover from Cyndi Lauper, the jazz sound is the essence of what the group does.

"Music is music, and what you do with it is up to you," Jeni said.

She does not play piano with the trio, choosing instead to focus on her voice. So far, she has met with critical acclaim. The Missoulian wrote, "few jazz vocalists can achieve such a sound with the appearance of such ease."

The Bozeman Chronicle writes, "…if (it) won't put joy in your heart, you're beyond help."

Although Jeni has sung her entire life, she is enthralled with the freedoms that jazz singing offers her. "There's an infinite number of ways that I could say something."

She finds more freedom in her voice than she ever did with the piano. "I'm closer to what I'm trying to do with my voice," she said.

Considering the immense history of jazz, Jeni would like to someday return to school to study vocal jazz. Meanwhile, her trio recorded its first album last year, "The Trinity Tour Album."

For now, the group has its collective eye on the thriving jazz scene in New York City. But they see the move as another step in their jazz growth, rather than a career move.

"All three of us, if our goal is to be musicians, we've already reached that goal," Jeni said. "Now our goal is we want to learn more."