Alumna Carrie Jennings releases debut solo EP, "Good Tension"

Carrie Jennings, photo by Kevin McNeary

Carrie Jennings (BM '14, trumpet performance) released her debut EP "Good Tension" on Friday, October 27th. This EP is a collection of four songs created at Secret Canopy Recordings with producer, engineer, and musician Kevin Matthews. Matthews and Thomas Jennings are also featured on the EP, and both are Lamont grads, as well. 

Each song explores a different representation of ‘good tension,’ whether that is embracing the pain of transformation (’Bothered’), honoring the love we deserve, even after being forgotten (’Adored’), holding both profound love and fear of loss in our hearts (’Maybe’), or recognizing the weight of our own agency (’Funny’). Good tension happens when there is a force stretching us for our benefit. It generates expansion, vitality, and change. Good tension was the driving force behind the creation of this music, and it is the intended effect of listening to it.

"The process of recording my original music with musicians I love and trust, folks I have been playing with for over a decade, was an absolute joy," said Jennings. "It was also my first time being a band leader, which I loved. It was very powerful to be the one to shape the whole experience, and very humbling to see how much everyone contributed on my behalf."

Carrie Jennings is a trumpet player and vocalist based in Seattle, WA. Since receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, she has been writing, touring, and recording with Seattle-based indie-soul band Mama Magnolia and as a solo artist. She has opened for acclaimed artists including The California Honeydrops, Snarky Puppy, The Dip, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones. She has performed at notable venues including Red Rocks Amphitheater, Mission Ballroom, Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Ogden Theatre, and Levitt Pavilion Denver, and has performed at festivals including South by Southwest, Sawtooth Valley Gathering, New West Fest, and WinterWonderGrass.

Check out the complete EP on Spotify, YouTube, or Bandcamp and follow Jennings on Instagram.