Today we’d like to introduce you to Lance Jeppesen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Over thirty years ago, we all found ourselves in the same big 18-piece jazz band. We were the rhythm section of the big band, and in those years, we truly found our chemistry. We created the Nimbus Jazz Trio only a few years ago, really out of our necessity to rehearse as a rhythm section working out difficult jazz pieces. After a few rehearsals, we started to realize the cool vibe we had as a trio and started to build upon that, discovering our own pieces to work on and perform. As a rhythm section, we can have a lot of fun finding our pocket and improvising off of one another.
Charlie McGhee, drummer, was a music director at Double Peak School in San Marcos who retired and passed the baton to Carly Ines. In this exchange, Charlie discovered Carly’s talent as a vocalist and brought her into the “trio” (which is now dropped).
The name Nimbus Jazz actually came from the first chart we worked on together, Nimbus by Mitchel Forman.
Steve Sibley- Piano
Carly Ines – Vocals, Trombone
Charlie McGhee – Drums
Lance Jeppesen – Bass
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We didn’t necessarily have struggles as a band, but during the pandemic, we had to find ways to work together while apart. It was then that we began doing “circular recording,” as we called it, where we would individually record parts of a chart and send it to another member who would then record theirs who would then forward it on again, on and on and so forth, making adjustments along the way. We would continue the circle until we got the chart to where we wanted it. The process actually taught us a lot about ourselves individually, as we would listen and hear nuances, we wouldn’t have heard prior. Nothing more humbling than listening to a recording of your playing over and over and finding little errors or bumps in the playing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Nimbus Jazz is a jazz ensemble, complete with a rhythm section, vocalist and trombone, and the occasional guest artist. We like to find charts with interesting rhythmic qualities and arrangements to highlight the intricate chemistry we have. We’re known for taking a modern, popular piece, retooling it, and giving it a unique jazz arrangement. Due to our over thirty years of playing together, we can operate as a unit and can pick up on nonverbal cues in a way that other rhythm sections may need to practice and verbally call out–similar to a hive mind. Because of this, we have been able to back a guest artist as a cohesive unit and create some really memorable performances.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/nimbusjazz
