TRIBUTARY
November 2003
by Scott Kelley

Our Own Local Jazz: The Jeni Fleming Trio

Less than a year ago, as the Jeni Fleming Trio was set to release their first CD, "The Trinity Tour," it was almost a foregone conclusion that their Bozeman based days were behind them. Jeni, lead vocalist, and her husband Jake, who plays guitar as well as sax in the band, felt that the time was right for time to move on to a larger metropolitan area, New York City perhaps, and continue the pursuit of their musical dreams. In addition to the Fleming's wanderlust, the third member of the trio, bassist Chan Langford, was living 800 miles away in Portland. The trio's demise seemed imminent.

But before they could get on to the next chapter in their lives, the Trio had a CD release concert at Reynolds Recital Hall. What the Trio had imagined as a gathering of friends and a small group of supporters turned out to be sold out, standing room only, concert with people getting turned away at the door. By nights end, there was not a copy of their CD left to buy in the house.

"We were completely blown out of the water by the turnout. It was totally unexpected," recalls Jeni. "That night really opened our eyes to the local support we have."

Ten months later, as the Trio is poised to release their second CD, "Things I Meant To Say, " not only are the Flemings still in Bozeman but Langford has left the coast and resides in their basement.

"We decided we better take advantage of our local support network, " notes Jeni. "Things I Meant To Say, " whose title comes form a song written by Jakes's father, will be available at the Trio's CD release concert on Thursday, December 4th at the Gallatin Gateway nn.

Those unfamiliar with the Trio will be dazzled by the timeless quality of their solidly constructed songs. All of the tunes, originals or jazz standards, are brought to life by Jeni's stunning voice. Fleming offers a range and depth capable of raising goose bumps on an August night. Songs rendered mundane by others, sound as fresh as the day their were born delivered through Fleming's prodigious pipes.

Although Jeni's talents are undeniable, this is not a one horse band. With the rich, deep tone Chad coaxes from his standup bass, he lays the firm bedrock from which the Trio spring. Along with playing in several bands, Chad has studied composition with both Eric Funk in Bozeman and renowned Czech-American composer Tomas Svoboda in Portland.

Jake, equally talented at both the sax and guitar, can offer subtle fills while complementing his wife and Langford or step forward and deliver solos that leave the crowd wanting more. His close connection to both the music and his wife allow for him to contribute musically in ways that seem intrinsic.

For locals who are familiar with the Trio's musical chemistry, "Things I Meant To Say" compliments the Trinity Tour nicely. In contrast to their first effort, which was culled from concert recordings and featured the full force of the trio's live prowess, their latest, recorded in the Fleming's studio, has a more subdued, polished feel.

"On the new album we were most interested in well crafted songs with a good story to tell, " says Jeni. "With this batch of songs we wanted to give the audience some credit and allow them to fill in the blanks. "

Be it original songs written by Jake's father and then arranged by Chad and Jake or cover tunes varying from the classic country anthem Mr. Bojangles to the Bossa Nova favorite The Girl From Ipanena, "Things I Meant To Say, " delivers songs that stand the test of time track after track.

While the power of Jeni's voice is still prominent on "Things I Meant To Say, " she applies it in a different manner than she does in the live setting. "I was striving for a more intimate feel on the new album. I was definitely not cutting loose as much. I was trying to hit the climax but without the volume, " says Fleming.

"Things I Meant To Say" also sees the addition of strings on a few of the songs. Arranged by Jake, the strings were recorded in the studio by the Bridger Trio Strings and offer an added depth on the tracks which they appear. With the release of their first studio album the Trio leaves no doubt that they are as equally capable at wowing music lovers from the studio as they are in a live setting. Their appeal transcends generations and genres as "Things I Meant To Say" is certain to leave you humming a tune long after the stereo has been turned off.

December 4th will be your next opportunity to catch the Trio as they celebrate the release of their latest effort at the Gallatin Gateway. If their last CD release concert is any indication, tickets will be a hot commodity. If enough people turn out to witness this local treasure, maybe we can convince the Trio to stick around for a couple more years.