Why Women in Jazz South Florida?
Although the blues, the root of jazz, was born from the tears of African women in America and brought to the forefront of popular culture by them as well, black women musicians have been marginalized in the music industry by both dominant white males and their black male counterparts. WIJSF, INC. is dedicated to keeping the music and stories of female musicians alive and in your face! See our JAZZWOMEN DIRECTORY
Likewise, European Classical music recognized few women composers, during their lives.
Can YOU name 3 female classical composers? They are listed here.
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A non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization with the mission of promoting
Women in
Jazz, locally, nationally and globally, through contacts,
articles, interviews, newsletters, events, courses, clinics,
workshops, lectures, research, history, archives, websites, film,
audio and video recording, concerts, performances and
recognition. |
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Joan
Cartwright, M.A. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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2801 S. Oakland Forest Drive, Suite 103,
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February 16, 2010
Women can really play; but they keep having to prove it
Is she for real? Can she play?
The members of an all-male band wonder to themselves as a young woman with a saxophone prepares to sit in. She calls an up-tempo standard, and after burning through several choruses, they realize that she is for real, the she can play. She can really play.
These are the kind of questions that have plagued female jazz performers since the music's beginnings more than 100 years ago. But this saxophonist is used to them. She's used to some interesting remarks after she plays, too.
"I've never heard a woman play like that!" isn't too bad. "You play good for a girl!" or "You play like a man!" is.
That's the way it can be for women in jazz, whether they've chosen to play an instrument or take a more traditional path and sing. But things are looking up as time passes.
Today's top jazz women -- Geri Allen, Ingrid Jensen, Regina Carter, Tierney Sutton, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jane Ira Bloom, Dianne Reeves, Marian McPartland and many others -- had to pay their dues, and in doing so, they pushed the boundaries of awareness and acceptance.
Since the late 1970s, festivals that celebrate female jazz artists have popped up around the country, refuting any thought that jazz and women aren't a great match.
One such event is the annual Michelob Women in Jazz Festival. This free celebration shines a spotlight on eight regional jazz women, some who have contributed to the art form as vocalists, while others, such as organist Linda Dachtyl, have put an end to misconceptions as players and composers.
The event gives these women a chance to show that gender should have never been an issue in jazz, only how well one plays, performs.
Contact this writer at kalavattam@gmail.com
What: The Michelob Women in Jazz Festival, presented by the City of Dayton's Department of Recreation and Youth Services and the Downtown Dayton Partnership
July 30, 2009
Mrs. Michelle Obama
The White House
1600
Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
RE: Women in Jazz and Blues March on
Dear Mrs. Obama,
We see that you and the President
are interested in bringing more jazz to the White House. In February, I
mailed you my book, AMAZING MUSICWOMEN. Of course, we know you are
very busy. But it would be nice to know that you received the book.
You are hereby invited to join
WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC. - www.wijsf.org.
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization that promotes
women musicians, globally, through events, concerts, performances,
clinics, lectures, workshops, articles, interviews, newsletters, courses,
contacts, research, history, archives, websites, film, audio and video
recording, and recognition.
Since 1996, I have taught over
7,000 students about Women in Jazz and Blues. Many Americans don't
understand that it was Women in Jazz and Blues that were the first civil
rights workers, voicing their demand for personal and social freedom -
Gertrude Ma Rainey, Alberta Hunter, Josephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, Nina
Simone, Billy Holiday and on and on and on.
However, women in music are
severely marginalized, although they are usually the ones who bring the
music to the forefront of every generation. If you notice, there are NO
women in the jazz band in the video on this site. There are NO women in
the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis. This cannot
continue. Women are discriminated in jazz more than any other music and it
is their voices that lead the community to the music. I know because I am
a jazz/blues singer, here in
Please give us the opportunity to
bring our program WOMEN IN JAZZ to the White House. We know you will be
encouraged by our presentation as those who've enjoyed it here in the
Also, listen to the archives of
our radio show, MUSICWOMAN LIVE! linked at www.wijsf.com/radioguests.htm
and live on Wednesdays at www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman
Sincerely,
Joan Cartwright
Executive Director
____________________________________________________
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 2:27 PM
Dear Monica,
I so appreciate being considered for performance at your event.
However, I live in Florida.
I was unaware that this was to be a FREE performance, when I
paid $10 to register and submit my materials.
I am the founder and executive director of WOMEN
IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC. We've been in existence
since March 2007 and got approved for our 501(c)(3) status on
April 26, 2009. However, we do not expect our artists to perform
for FREE. This is counter-productive to our mission statement.
The purpose of our organization is to promote women musicians,
globally. We have offered for FREE a radio show featuring the
music of women composers for the past year. But we only present
events that PAY our musicians.
So, you will understand why I must decline your offer. There is
no way I can pay to come to Philadelphia to work for $25. I get
paid $750 for my pianist and me to do our presentation of WOMEN
IN JAZZ. I get paid $1,500 minimum for a quartet
performance.
I am 61 years old and really not
in need of "exposure", the keyword for organizations
looking to exploit the talents of musicians. There needs to be
an end to this thought process. Most musicians cannot afford to
perform everywhere for FREE. It would be good if musicians got a
FREE ride when it comes to housing, utilities, auto, gas, food,
etc., but we don't. I'm not being funny, here. I'm being
realistic.
Music is my profession, not my hobby. The musicians that choose
to perform for FREE are usually young and fledgling and have
little understanding of the value of their talent. It would be
so helpful if organizations like yours would consider getting
sponsorship or grant funding to PAY the musicians you recognize
as talented enough to perform at your events.
Thanks again for your bid of confidence. I trust you will have a
successful event.
All the best,
Joan Cartwright
www.divajc.com
____________________________________________________
January 14, 2009
Not only are women marginalized in the music industry, but music, itself is taking its blows in the educational arena. This article on Quincy Jones explains it all.
Quincy Jones Leads Chorus Urging a Cabinet-Level
Arts Czar
By Jacqueline Trescott
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 14, 2009; C03
A call for President-elect Barack Obama to give the arts and humanities a Cabinet-level post -- perhaps even create a secretary of culture -- is gaining momentum.
By yesterday, 76,000 people had signed an online petition, started by two New York musicians who were inspired by producer Quincy Jones. In a radio interview in November, Jones said the country needed a minister of culture, like France, Germany or Finland has. And he said he would "beg" Obama to establish the post.
Listening in New York, Jaime Austria, a bass player with the New York City Opera, and Peter Weitzner, also a bassist, took his suggestion to heart and started the online campaign.
Depending on how you define culture, the portfolio could cover many areas, supporters say. "We are not quite sure, especially in this environment, what the secretary of the arts could provide, but foremost is advocacy for arts education and awareness of the financial rewards the arts bring to a community," said Weitzner, the host of a chamber music series at the Brooklyn Public Library.
Jones, who has been promoting the idea for at least 10 years by his count, said yesterday that he has specific responsibilities in mind for the office. He wants an education system that teaches the history and personalities of the arts, particularly music. "I have traveled all over the world all the time for 54 years. The people abroad know more about our culture than we do," he said. "A month ago at my high school in Seattle, I asked a student if he knew who Louis Armstrong was. He said he had heard his name. I asked him about Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. He didn't even know their names. That hurts me a lot," Jones said.
The reaction to the online petition is encouraging, he said: "It tells me that we are on the right path."
Recently, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and former NEH chairman William Ferris have pushed for unification of the government's efforts under one office.
The grass-roots movement has the support of arts administrators who have called for this type of visibility for many years.
"Whether you call it a minister of culture or not, it would be wonderful to have someone with a policy role to coordinate arts education, cultural diplomacy and support for arts organizations. Those activities are not coordinated but divided among many offices," said Michael Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"We need a voice that looks broadly," said Robert Lynch, president of Americans for the Arts, a national lobbying group. He is advocating a senior position, not necessarily a Cabinet post. "We are calling for a person at the executive office level who understands there is a National Endowment for the Arts, but also understands the arts portfolio in the Education Department, the State Department -- and in addition to the nonprofits arts, is looking at cultural tourism, broadband access and trade through records, movies and videos."
Last month, 15 organizations joined Americans for the Arts in petitioning the Obama-Biden transition team to stop the fragmentation of cultural policy. The establishment of a Cabinet office would take the approval of Congress. A dedicated office in the West Wing would be up to the president.
For decades, the federal government has supported the arts and humanities through the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Funded by Congress, they are grantmaking agencies and their chairmen are appointed by the White House. The administration also has a President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, a volunteer group. The government funds a number of museums, such as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Other arts-related programs are conducted by State and Education, among others.
Jones said his idea is not a criticism of any of the arts leaders in Washington. "They are doing a fantastic job," he said.
Kaiser argues that the crumbling economy, as well as the advent of a new administration, has added some urgency to coordinating all these efforts. "Right now, we have an ecology of the arts that is very scary. We need a proactive person, or agency, that is going to talk to foundations, the state agencies, the organizations about this situation. Right now, we are leaving the arts organizations to themselves," he said.
But, Kaiser said: "I am not optimistic that Congress would create another department. It is expensive, it is another bureaucracy -- but we need coordination."
And Jones admitted that Obama "is facing too many crises. I am not an unrealistic person. He has got his hands full."
During the campaign, Obama and Biden issued a platform on the arts. It called for reinvestment in arts education and said "arts should be a central part of effective teaching and learning." It proposed creation of an "artists corps," taking young artists to low-income schools and their neighborhoods." Obama said he would increase funding for the NEA and the Education Department arts grants, beef up cultural diplomacy programs and ensure artists would have access to health care and fair tax deductions.
The platform advocated more exchange of American and foreign artists. Looking back to the era of Cold War arts ambassadors, when Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie traveled around the world for the government, the platform said, "Artists can be utilized again to help us win the war of ideas against Islamic extremism."
The leader of the arts and humanities review team of the Obama-Biden transition office, William Ivey, declined to discuss the idea.
Artists of every genre were part of the new team's campaign, and are highly visible additions to the inaugural festivities. In a recent interview on "Meet the Press," Obama, a best-selling author who has Jay-Z on his iPod, said that his White House would have room for "jazz musicians and classical musicians and poetry readings."
But Ivey, a former chairman of the arts endowment, wrote last year that the cultural environment had been neglected and needed to be fixed. "If the task requires consideration of a new government agency -- a Cabinet-level department of cultural affairs -- so be it," said Ivey.
[THIS MESSAGE IS IN RESPONSE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MESSAGE ABOUT JAZZ TALK: WHY AREN’T THERE MORE WOMEN IN JAZZ?]
It's not that there aren't women musicians and composers. It's that they are not hired by organizations like JALC. I gave my promotional material to this organization years ago and never even got a letter of receipt. I am amazed that the center can hire people from out of the country and women, right here in America cannot even get a foot in the door.
Today, jazz is an elitist music. The innovators from the African American community cannot get gigs, unless they are on a major label. I have produced my own music since 1990. I've sold thousands of CDs without the crutch of a major label that usually just rips the artists off anyway.
I've sung around the world to loving fans, but cannot get a gig at Dizzy's because I live in Florida. Wynton and Branford came to hear me sing in 1983 at Freddy's in Manhattan. They've known me for years. I sang with Ellis at the IAJE conference in El Paso, TX, where I presented my paper, The Sign of The Blues in 1993.
My book, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY 2006, contains my lecture on Women in Jazz that I've received thousands of dollars to present to over 6,000 students. On Oct 30, this presentation will be performed by an ensemble of 8 for the first time here in Fort Lauderdale. I begin a Borders Book Tour on Nov 8 - www.fyicomminc.com/events/calendar08.htm
The magazine, Summer 2008 issue of American Legacy featured Women Big Band Leaders and documents really sexist remarks made by male critics and musicians about female musicians.
Blanch Calloway, Cab's sister, was just as notable as a bandleader as he was but. . .she was a woman. And, in 2008, nothing much has changed. Has JALC presented the Kit McClure Big Band? I sat in on their rehearsal, when I was in NY and the music was dynamic!
Males, particularly black males, discriminate against female musicians worst than whites discriminate against blacks. It's scandalous. The blatant disrespect for black female musicians is just abhorrent. They must either be married to a white man or have lots of white fans to get any notice at all. Last year, Alvin Queen and his band became ambassadors of UNESCO. I asked him why there was no woman in the band and he said he didn't have to have a woman in his band. [Just today, I got an email that Sarah Palin said the same thing about hiring blacks in the Alaskan government!]
This is why I built my site www.wijsf.com/wij/wijframe.htm to highlight the lives of Black women who perform jazz, who would, otherwise be obscure. As I said before, jazz is an elitist genre that has been usurped by wealthy promoters like George Wein at NEWPORT/KOOL/JVC/everything else Festivals, worldwide. Only a handful of black women have been involved in any of those programs - Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Neena Freelon, and who else? Please tell me.
It's really a shame that blues and jazz sprang from the tears of Black Women who are disrespected at every turn by white males, black males and white women who are the darlings of jazz, today. Oh, of course, they'll do a tribute to Ella, Billie, etc., but when a black woman shows up for a gig, she is IGNORED.
Just look at the recent JALC Women in Jazz roster. Gloria Lynne and who? lots of white women. Hmmmmm. What have we learned here, class? And nobody wants to say anything about. All the sisters I know prefer to be quiet, not make waves. Well, I'd like to make a Tidal Wave about it. GIVE US BACK OUR MUSIC.
White women should be singing Celtic music, folk music. Yeah, I know, most of the standards Ella and Billie and Sarah and Carmen sang were written by white and jewish composers, but THESE WOMEN made the music sound like it does. This is my RANT and I'm not backing down to make men or white women feel good. I don't give a damn anymore. I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it anymore. But, of course, ne're to forget, you asked me, so I'm telling you!
On the other hand, in 1998, I presented Gaiafest, A Celebration of Mother Earth with Women in Jazz, here in Fort Lauderdale. Our invitees were Kim Clarke, Bertha Hope, Bernice Brooks, Pamela Williams, Vanessa Rubin and our honoree was Dakota Staton. Resident artists included Nicole Yarling and Randy Fishenfeld, both great violinists/vocalists. But, I must tell you, and it's taken me 10 years to be able to say this: first, some, not all but some of these women treated me like a DOG! making me never want to do this event again, and the non-profit that I worked with to organize the event stole all the money and Dakota had to have a lawyer get her paid, six months after the event! So, there's very little to say about the way women treat each other too and there are too many organizations out there willing to USE women to get their hands on some quick cash.
IAJE just folded. I thought it was ludicrous that you had to pay dues to IAJE, then, if you are a women, dues to the Women's Caucus, then if you are black, dues to the African American Jazz Caucus. Damn, where are women, black women supposed to get all these dues from, since most of us are not working as much as the men or the white women???????????????????????????????????????????? It's just stupid.
I am from NY, but lived in Florida from 1970 to 1976, then moved to Philly, where I began singing professionally and received my B.A. in Music from LaSalle U. In 1982-1984, I lived in Harlem. I performed at the Blue Note, Freddy's and the St. Nicholas Pub several times. I got tired of being told I had to "stand in line to sing", so I moved back to Fort Lauderdale, where I became one of FIVE singers who worked non-stop! In 1990, I began touring Europe and did so for 8 years. In 2006, I performed in China and Japan for five months.
On March 28, 2007, I presented my Women in Jazz at York
College and on April 5, I was a guest of Women in Jazz at St. Peter's
Church. Presently, I am pursuing a scholarship for my doctorate at
Barry U in Leadership & Education, with the plan to write my
dissertation on "Music As Healing". Just yesterday, I
visited a performing arts magnet middle school where I read my poetry
and sang my songs to over 100 students. Like so many other women in
jazz, I don't let the social disorder keep me from fulfilling my
purpose - to be a musician.
My online radio show, MUSICWOMAN LIVE! features women who compose and
perform their own music. www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman
. I would love to interview this panel on my show in October, before
this forum and after the forum in November. All you have to do is call
in 347-677-0782 #1 to talk, each Wednesday between 6-8 p.m. EST. And
to arrange a show all your own, just call me at 954-607-7471 (Skype)
or 954-740-3398 (cell) or email me at this email: divajc47@yahoo.com
Finally, I founded WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC. in March 2007, to tap into the wealth in this country and around the world spent on musical presentations in schools, colleges and universities. www.wijsf.org - see our WOMEN IN JAZZ ON TOUR PROPOSAL at www.wijsf.com/projects/wijot.htm .
We would love to bring this presentation to Lincoln Center. By the way, I submitted a proposal for this last year and still haven't heard one word of response.
Sincerely,
Joan Cartwright
Founder/Exec Dir
WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC.
2801 S. Oakland Forest Dr #103
Oakland Park, FL 33309
www.wijsf.org
"Music, the sound of the spheres, begins in the womb!" - Diva JC
www.myspace.com/musicwomanlivre
www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman
Of course, we all know that club owners are NOT MUSICIANS, not most of them, at any rate. Did anyone tell the ones who are not that all STANDARDS used to be someone's original music?? I am laughing out loud, here!!!
Good grief. Being a musician on this planet is terrifically difficult, especially when you are dealing with left-brainers.
When I was performing in Shanghai, China, May to July 2006, the club manager told the drummer, who spoke very little English, to tell me that I could only sing one of my originals per set! Now, I'm sure no club owner or manager would ever have said that to Miles, Dizzy, Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Grover Washington Jr., George Benson, Ray Charles, Joe Zawinal, Joe Sample, George Duke, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, Art Tatum, Jay McShann or any of the hundreds of men who were encouraged to play their original music.
As Judy Joy says, above, "throughout history; no sculptors, no opera composers, very few librettist and a handful of composers that have been women" are document in "his-story". This only means that we MUST write "HER-STORY!" and that's what www.wijsf.org is allllllll about. Be sure to visit this link often - JAZZWOMEN.
June 12, 2008
Today, I was dismayed by a program at the Arscht Center for the Performing Arts entitled Jazz Roots, a Larry Rosen Series, which had one woman, Patti Austin, on the bill. Known as a pop singer for decades, Patti never was billed as a jazz singer, until recently.
My question is where are the true jazz/blues singers and instrumentalists and why are they always omitted from the program?
Also, why are black women not represented on Rosen's committee?
In addition to sending a message to the Chief of Staff and Program Director of the Arscht Center, I copied the message to Blanche Williams of the First Annual National Black Women's Town Hall Meeting, requesting that this subject be broached at the meeting on July 11, in Washington, D.C.
May 28, 2008
What was it like recording Joni Mitchell's songs?
Before, I almost never paid attention to lyrics. I’m so bad that when I hear a song that’s sung, English is gibberish. I don’t hear it. I mean, I would have to translate it from whatever the thing is that I hear to intelligible English. Because I hear it as a sound.
So, what does this say about all the women who sang jazz before Hancock was born and migrated to the Miles Davis camp? -- JC
April 17, 2008
WIJSF, Inc. was officially incorporated on March 12, 2007. During the past year, Director Joan Cartwright presented Women in Jazz as Artist-in-Residence for the Pan African Bookfest in Broward County, Florida, and at York College in Jamaica, NY.
On May 8, 2008, we filed our application for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, to enable us to accept tax-deductible memberships and donations; write grants; and raise funds to continue to educate the world about the contributions of women who make jazz and blues music.
Read our Newsletters. . .
February 7, 2007
Hello Joan!!!
I’m not sure if you remember me, you probably would remember my face. My girlfriend and I used to come to see you all the time when you were regularly performing at the jazz place in Hollywood ; we were “Wanda & Wilma.” I also attended a seminar you held at FIU and spoke with you regarding my experience at Bethune-Cookman College where I was the first female trumpeter there, and the resistance and backlash I had to deal with because people didn’t want to change the all male tradition of the marching band.
I believe you had a jazz series you were organizing at that time, and you asked me to remain in touch; however, I admit I’m not sure where I kept your information, probably in a “safe place.”
I just ran across your website as I was surfing the Net, and was so delighted! I’ve had you in mind as I was just recently speaking with a gentleman who is on the board of directors of a music organization and I was asking whether you ever performed for them, but he wasn’t sure. So I’m going to forward your website to him.
In the meantime, I would love it if I can speak with you because I am now the president of the Bethune-Cookman Alumni Band and on behalf of this organization, I would love it if you would be willing to collaborate with us with regard to writing some grants, setting up and promoting some events, and/or even serving on our board of directors.
I am sure you are extremely busy, but at your convenience, I would greatly appreciate a telephone call to set up a meeting.
In the meantime, I hope all is well with you.
Very truly yours,
Wanda Wright
Joan Cartwright
Founder of WIJSF, INC.
The Mother of Bebop!
Mary Lou Williams mentored Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. Her composition, The Land of Ooh-Blah-Dee memorialized the use of the flatted fifth, the signature of jazz and bebop!
"Melba Liston is one of the best jazz musicians, not just one of the best women in jazz." --Junior Mance
". . .people didn’t want to change the all male tradition of the marching band." -- Wanda Wright, President, Bethune-Cookman Alumni Band
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008
HEAR TRUDY PITTS with MUSICWOMAN
Organist Trudy Pitts handled herself formidably in an arena of musicians made up mostly of men.
Tony Monaco, Pete
Fallico (Doodlin' Lounge), Gen Ludwig, Trudy Pitts, Lonnie Smith
Joan Cartwright has been the leader of hundreds of musicians in her band JAZZ HOTLINE
George Gray (d), Diva JC, Yoichi Uzeki (p), Tom Zlabinger (b)Like Black Elk said of the Bison, Women are that "divine feminine, creating earth principle that is central to the lives of our families and loved ones." -- Raining Deer
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