Jack Grassel Guitarist Extraordinaire

Photos, Biographies and Program Notes

8 pages are available. The first page has a press release with a black and white photo. The other pages have photo quality 300 dpi color images. The pages of Jack alone are 8.5" x 11". The pages that include Jill are 5" x 7". They are all in the form of a pdf file. Click on the image to download one of these pages. You will also need Acrobat Reader from Adobe© to read these files once you have downloaded them. If you do not have this program you can download it free from Adobe by clicking on the icon below.

Program / biographical notes:

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Jill Jensen and Jack Grassel

Jill Jensen and Jack Grassel sizzle on stage! The married duo have been impressing

audiences since 1998. Jill's expressive voice sparkles with Jack's graceful guitar as

they perform jazz flavored music that speaks in an easily understood and enjoyable dialect.

This couple is a sure-fire crowd pleaser offering an exciting blend of originals, standards,

Latin, ballads, swing, bebop, and R&B.

In a nation wide poll, the readers of Guitar One Magazine voted Jack one of the "Ten Best Guitarists in the U.S." This year, Mr. Grassel received his seventh "Guitarist of the Year" WAMI award from his peers. Jack was also chosen as "Best Jazz Artist" in the "Best of Milwaukee" poll conducted by Milwaukee's Shepherd newspaper. 2007 also saw the world-wide release of Jack's instructional DVD, "Top 20 Jazz Guitar Lessons" by publishing giant The Hal Leonard Corporation. Guitarists everywhere have studied Jack's many instruction books, and CDs for decades.

Jill's sultry voice won her the honor of "Favorite Female Vocalist" in The Journal Times Reader's Poll two years in a row. Together, Jill and Jack garnered three 2007 WAMI Award nominations, including Best CD -" It's About The Music", Best Song - "Song For Your Mother", and "Best Traditional Jazz Artists".

Just Jazz Guitar Magazine wrote: "Jensen's voice is strong and self-assured...Grassel's

overall skill and musical approach are the perfect compliment to Jensen's smooth and

confident vocal styling and phrasing." Jill and Jack are in demand as a duo or small

ensemble as well as for their Big Band, when Jack conducts music custom arranged for

them by Walt Stuart, noted arranger for Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin.

Jill and Jack entertain at:

- The Carlton Grange Pub jazz brunch (St. Francis, WI) every Sunday 11am-2pm

reservations: 414 747 9669

- The Paramount Restauarant (Grafton, WI) every second Saturday 6-9pm.

reservations: 262 375 0555

See the artist's web sites for additional information, current schedule, and merchandise.

Visit: www.jilljensen.com Visit: www.jackgrassel.com

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Jack Grassel (use this bio for Jack's concerts without Jill)

Jack's music career began early when his father started him on music lessons at age three.

By age four, he was performing professionally with the "Bar O Ranch" live variety show and on

local television and radio. Mr. Grassel has played over 11,000 performances in every

conceivable musical situation. Among his favorites are: performing duets with Luciano Pavarotti,

accompanying comedians Bob Hope, Jay Leno, and Bob Newhart, playing with Tom Jones,

Melvin Rhyne, Nancy Wilson, The Ringling Brothers Circus, and other name artists too numerous

to mention. Jack enjoyed years of personal tutelage by his mentors, Tal Farlow

George Van Eps which helped father his unique style, In the March 2000 issue of

Guitar One magazine, fans voted him as one of the "10 Best Guitarists in America..."

This winner of seven WAMI awards as Jazz Artist and Guitarist Of The Year maintains a busy

schedule of performances. In 2007, the readers of the Milwaukee Shepherd newspaper voted Jack

as Milwaukee's "Best Jazz Artist". For decades, guitarists the world over have studied his many

guitar books and recordings which feature his 70 compositions. In 1996, Jack was acknowledged for excellence as a distinguished educator in Who's Who of America's Teachers. His ex-students are a

legion of the world's finest musicians. Mr. Grassel's popular Big Ax book trilogy is the

groundbreaking system for playing bass lines, melody and chords simultaneously.

He can be heard playing guitar and bass at the same time on his invention, "The Superguitar".

Mr. Grassel's columns have enlightened readers of Guitar Player and Just Jazz Guitar magazines.

Learn more about Jack and his work at www.jackgrassel.com

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Jill Jensen (use this bio for Jill's concerts without Jack)

Jill's first sentence was "Where's the Music?". Since then, Jill became well known for

delighting audiences as a highly expressive vocalist, actress, voice talent and television

spokesperson with a smile in her delivery. A fan once described her voice as

"Victoria's Secret for the ears." Whether in her duo, combo or big band, she's a sure-fire

crowd pleaser. Jill won the honor of "Favorite Female Vocalist" in the Journal Times

Reader's poll two years in a row. Her two CD's, Seems Like Dreams and It's About The Music

have garnered rave reviews. Vocal studies include the Jazz Summit Voice Major at the

National Guitar Workshop in Connecticut and The Lakeshore Conservatory

of Music in Racine, WI. She has performed with Ed Thigpen, Howard Levy, Ernie Adams,

Dane Richeson, Paul Wertico, Chip McNeil, Marlene Rosenberg and most notably since

1998 when she teamed up with (and eventuall married!) world-renowned jazz guitarist ,

Jack Grassel. Dave Luhrssen of The Shepherd Express wrote: "Jensen's voice sparkles for the sheer delight of singing...she wraps around words and their emotional implications."

Rick Tvedt of Rick's Cafe wrote: "Jensen's voice is clear, strong, confident and rich in tone...

she is a rare vocal talent...playful, and has clearly learned to express herself from a joyful center."

To learn more about Jill and her schedule, visit www.jilljensen.com

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