Cody Jensen is a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Urbana, Illinois. He has developed a deep musical understanding through both formal training and immersive cultural experiences. His performance career spans over a decade, with notable contributions to groups such as Bones Jugs, Chicago Farmer, and Alma Afrobeat Ensemble, in addition to extensive solo and collaborative work in the americana and world music scenes.

Jensen’s extensive study in West African and Balinese music has shaped his distinctive musical voice, honed through over 1,000 hours of apprenticeship under renowned masters such as Moussa Bolokada Conde, Khaly Camara, and I Ketut Gede Asnawa. His work in global music traditions and improvisation informs his contemporary performances and compositions, which have been featured at venues like the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Roulette Intermedium, and the Chocolate Factory Theater.

He has been an accompanist for dance at the University of Illinois since 2010, while in recent years serving as an adjunct lecturer and interim music director.  He has given lectures and masterclasses at various universities, with topics ranging from “Composing for Dance,” to “Improvising on the Xylophone and Steel Pan.” 

Jensen’s compositional work for dance includes collaborations with renowned choreographers like Angie Pittman, Alfonso Cervera, and Oluko C. Kemal Nance. He has three solo albums, banjoboy, COVID Commissions, and Moon Songs, which reflect his unique musical vision.He is currently a candidate for a Master of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.