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WOMEN IN JAZZ


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Bringin´ back this old topic:

Topic: Women in Jazz

Rachel

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Member # 1631

posted February 03, 2002 11:50 AM

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The thread about Marilyn Crispell (whom I love) in this forum got me thinking about women in jazz. Jazz, maybe more than any other genre of music, seems to have a lop-sided representation for instrumentalists as far as gender goes. This isn't a criticism; it just strikes me as curious. Anyway, vocalists aside, what female instrumentalists do you recommend? I wish there was more Annette Peacock available.

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PD

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Member # 1816

posted February 03, 2002 11:57 AM

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Well, depends how far back you want to go, but let me be the first to put up Mary Lou Williams, pianist, composer, arranger.

Marion McPartland, piano , composer and radio personality..excellent PBS radio show.

Kathy Stobart..good mainstream tenor player.

Annie Whitehead British trombone player.

Vi Redd alto player..only made about two albums though.

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Bill Fenohr

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Member # 592

posted February 03, 2002 12:08 PM

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Jessica Williams, the best kept secret in jazz. Wonderful pianist.

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PD

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Member # 1816

posted February 03, 2002 12:19 PM

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Damn right Bill, how did I forget? 'specially when she's more or less from my neck of the woods.

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jlhoots

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Member # 1484

posted February 03, 2002 12:51 PM

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Myra Melford

Jane Ira Bloom

Geri Allen

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Bev Stapleton

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Member # 27

posted February 03, 2002 01:21 PM

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Lynne Arriale - an absolutely exquisite pianist. Renee Rosnes. Susie Ibarra. Cindy Blackman. Ingrid Jensen. Would it be provocative to mention Di...no, I won't!

The lack of women performers in jazz has always struck me as one of its glaring weaknesses. I'm sure an infusion of female performers would take the music off into all sorts of new directions.

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ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 03, 2002 01:41 PM

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In no particular order, here are but a few:

Claire Daly (baritone sax)

Sylvia Cuenca (drums)

Cindy Blackman (drums)

Shirley Scott (organ, piano)

Alice Coltrane (piano, harp)

Michele Rosewoman (piano)

Rachel Z (piano)

Ingrid Jensen (trumpet)

Barbara Donald (trumpet)

Regina Carter (violin)

Bertha Hope (piano)

Emily Remler (guitar)

Melba Liston (trombone)

Betty Glamann (harp)

Joanne Brackeen (piano)

Marilyn Mazur (percussion)

Toshiko Akiyoshi (piano, arranger,composer)

Jane Bunnet (sax, flute)

Barbara Dennerlein (organ,keybords)

Maria Schneider (arranger, composer, piano)

Terri Lynne Carrington (drums)

Susie Ibarra (drums. percussion))

and, Monnette Sudler(guitar) - how could I forget per recent post topic!

[ February 03, 2002: Message edited by: ED! ]

[ February 03, 2002: Message edited by: ED! ]

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JSngry

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Member # 1611

posted February 03, 2002 02:41 PM

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What - nobody's mentioned Tina Brooks & Ruby Braff?

In addition to those already listed:

Amina Claudine Myers

Carla Bley

Barbara Donald

Gloria Coleman

Pola Roberts

Sue Evans

Mary Osborne

Dotty Dodgion

Carol Tristano

Liz Gorril

There was a tenor player who Marian McPartland profiled on an A&E TV show about 15 years ago whose playing really struck me as really soulful & "rootsy". She was a member of the Sweethearts Of Rhythm, but unfortunately her name escapes me right now. Val somebody?

And check out Patrice Rusheen's very first album, "Preclusion" on Prestige, w/Joe Henderson - a potentially very major piano/composing talent lost almost immediately to the pop world.

[ February 03, 2002: Message edited by: JSngry ]

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ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 03, 2002 02:53 PM

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How about Marion Brown ? (Just Kidding!)

But seriously,

Rebecca Kane (piano)

Roberta Piket (piano)

Dorothy Donegan (piano)

My apologies if I've repeated someone else's recommendation, as this list is becoming rather large. I'm just shooting from the hip on this thread.

[ February 03, 2002: Message edited by: ED! ]

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Rachel

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Member # 1631

posted February 03, 2002 08:51 PM

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Wow, thanks for all the responses. Where should I start? I recognize a few of the names listed so far. Are there any particular albums you'd all recommend? I like pianists, but I'm wanting to branch out and away from them for the meantime.

I have heard Barbara Donald on Sonny Simmons dates, and she is something else. Is she still with us, still performing? I haven't heard of any of the saxophonists you guys are listing. What are your opinions?

Thanks

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champ

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Member # 243

posted February 03, 2002 10:02 PM

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No mention of Junko Onishi ?

Check out the Live At The Village Vanguard twin set or Cruisin'.

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bertrand

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Member # 230

posted February 03, 2002 11:37 PM

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Is any of Mary Osborne's work available on CD? I saw a video of her playing 'The Man I Love' (with Billie Holiday watching) and I was just blown away by her fluid fingering.

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Bertrand.

uberall@wizard.net

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Fran

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Member # 1756

posted February 04, 2002 05:28 AM

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Hey- How could you forget:

Digging back a ways-

Lil Armstrong- Piano

Billy Rogers- Trumpet

Marg Hyams Vibes

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Posts: 510 | From: Glen Ellyn, Illiois | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

Don Brown

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Member # 1031

posted February 04, 2002 06:23 AM

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And don't forget the wonderful pianist Lorraine Geller who died far too young. She was the wife of alto saxophonist Herb Geller and can be heard on some of his Emarcy recordings as well as a splendid trio date of her own on Dot. The Dot album has been reissued on a Fresh Sound CD (FSRCD195). She's also on Red Mitchell's Contemporary album The Red Mitchell Quartet (OJC CD 152-2)

together with tenorist James Clay and drummer Billy Higgins - a brilliant date.

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Don Brown

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pepe

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Member # 2269

posted February 04, 2002 07:32 AM

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One reason that few women play jazz might be the instruments used in our music. I mean, you'll not find many females playing trumpet, trombone or string bass in symphony orchestras either. Women seem to stick to piano, violin, cello etc., and on harp they have almost a monopoly. So the interesting question, that I've discussed with female friends, is why?

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lukrion

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Member # 1156

posted February 04, 2002 07:49 AM

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An interesting observation. Do you think generally, not specifically, that size may dictate what instrument a female would choose? If your starting out at a young age you might have to grow into playing a trombone for instance, but trumpet seems to be a pretty popular instrument for girls to take up. I knew one girl, and she was LITTLE. She ended up carrying one of those big Sousa Horn Tubas in parades, after starting out on trumpet!

Anyone mention Shirley Scott? She is neglected in my library, but I have to investigate her sometime.

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pepe

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Member # 2269

posted February 04, 2002 08:45 AM

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Size probably - to a certain extent -dictates what instrument is given to small girls when entering a school orchestra, a brass band etc. Generally, however, I think that convention and tradition are more important - and also role models - if Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Britney Spears had all played trombone, we'd have millions of trombone playing girls all around.

About girls playing trumpet - in my part of the world you also find trumpet playing girls, but they seem to give up at some point. Many women belong to the top 50 on cello and violin, but how many on trumpet?

Even flute and clarinet are dominated by male players, I believe - and I'm talking classical music. Maybe it's even less balanced in jazz, and I can think of quite a few reasons why it is harder for a girl to survive in jazz than in a symphony orchestra.

[ February 04, 2002: Message edited by: pepe ]

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Don Brown

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Member # 1031

posted February 04, 2002 09:59 AM

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There are two more superb female jazz musicians (both currently inactive) who have not been mentioned - pianist Jutta Hipp and pianist, and sometimes vibraphonist, Terry Pollard. Jutta Hipp came to New York City from Germany in the fifties and made a handful of records for Blue Note (one of them had Zoot Sims and Jerry Lloyd as sidemen). She became so disillusioned by the corrupt music business she stopped performing and became a designer.

Terry Pollard was a member of Terry Gibbs' quartet and recorded with Gibbs. Unfortunately she suffered a debilitating stroke and was no longer able to play. She was replaced in Gibbs' group by Alice MacLeod who later became Alice Coltrane.

[ February 04, 2002: Message edited by: Don Brown ]

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Don Brown

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Bill Fenohr

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Member # 592

posted February 04, 2002 10:07 AM

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If you want all women, you might seek out the big band Diva. I think they have had two or three cd's out.

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Bev Stapleton

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Member # 27

posted February 04, 2002 10:22 AM

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Ah, Maria Schneider! Now there is a superlative jazz musician. I was listening to 'Allegresse' in the car to and from work today...just beautiful. If only she could get more onto disc (if only that give the 'free with a bottle of plonk' disc a wider release).

Another fine pianist - Nikki Iles - a major presence on the contemporary British scene.

As to the 'why do women only play certain instruments...' ...well, I'd agree its most likely to be tradition. Just like we used to automatically assume that girls wanted to do cookery and boys metalwork. It may be taking rather longer to overcome those assumptions in the area of instrumental choice. I suspect the exceptions (female trombonists, drummers etc) prove that there is not necessarily a genuine physical reason.

Oh, and one other! Barbara Thompson (sadly now retired through ill health).

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El

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Member # 74

posted February 04, 2002 11:24 AM

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There particularly seems to be a dearth of female performers and fans in the out/avant/free jazz arena and I wonder if that area suffers from an almost unspoken reputation as being male/macho/men’s music. I would be surprised (and delighted) if there were much more than a dozen female contributors to this board who are fans of this kind of music.

The other day my 4 yr. old son was making some fairly sweeping remarks about what was “boy’s music” and what was “girl’s music”. For him, it seemed that: heavy + wild = boy’s; melodic + groove = girl’s. Eg. the Grant Green (Feeling the Spirit) fell into the girl’s category while Satoko Fujii (Past Lifes) fell into the boy’s music category. His definitions are probably based on what mom & dad seem to prefer.

Anyways, some of the female out/avant/free jazz performers that I watch out for include…

Marilyn Crispell (piano)

Satoko Fujii (piano)

Sacha Hayasaka (soprano sax)

Joelle Leandre (bass)

Helen Borca (bassoon)

Miya Masaoka (koto)

Susie Ibarra (drums)

Myra Melford (piano)

Andrea Parkins (keyboards)

India Cooke (violin)

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ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 05, 2002 06:53 PM

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Originally posted by El:

The other day my 4 yr. old son was making some fairly sweeping remarks about what was “boy’s music” and what was “girl’s music”. For him, it seemed that: heavy + wild = boy’s; melodic + groove = girl’s. Eg. the Grant Green (Feeling the Spirit) fell into the girl’s category while Satoko Fujii (Past Lifes) fell into the boy’s music category. His definitions are probably based on what mom & dad seem to prefer.

That's a very interesting observation coming from a 4 year old. I would think that a child that young would have a fairly innocent and unbiased view of things before being swayed by outside forces i.e. media, lack of peer pressure, or the ability to comprehend adult views on an adult level. You are probably right that his most immediate opinions or views are going to come from his most closest relationships, his parents. My next question is; does he like "boy's music" or does he really prefer 'Barney' music? I assume Barney music is unisex!

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micahw

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Member # 948

posted February 06, 2002 12:30 PM

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Rachel, I am a big piano fan as well and I can recommend these albums by Joanne Brackeen:

1) Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven (gets this first)

2) Live at Maybeck Recital Hall

3) Breath of Brazil

All of these are on the Concord label.

Micah

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bertrand

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Member # 230

posted February 06, 2002 01:21 PM

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Get 'em cheap at http://www.daedalusbooks.com/

[ February 06, 2002: Message edited by: bertrand ]

[ February 06, 2002: Message edited by: bertrand ]

[ February 06, 2002: Message edited by: bertrand ]

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Bertrand.

uberall@wizard.net

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El

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Member # 74

posted February 06, 2002 03:43 PM

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quote:

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by Ed: I would think that a child that young would have a fairly innocent and unbiased view of things before being swayed by outside forces i.e. media, lack of peer pressure, or the ability to comprehend adult views on an adult level. You are probably right that his most immediate opinions or views are going to come from his most closest relationships, his parents.

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The "boy's music" thing started a year ago when he heard some surf music and asserted that it was "boy's music" and then proceeded to do a very serious "boy's dance." I had to do some serious lip-biting to stop myself from grinning and ruining the performance. (And he was challenged on his assertion.) It seems that even at 3 & 4 yrs of age many boys and girls make sweeping gender associations that are reinforced by their peers (& families). Just think of how often the choices of toys are different between girls & boys.

quote:

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by Ed: My next question is; does he like "boy's music" or does he really prefer 'Barney' music? I assume Barney music is unisex!

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He actually seems to like all kinds of music (probably not ‘Barney’ music though), depending on his mood. It can be quite surprising what kids will enjoy listening to and I think it can be a big mistake to assume that they will only like to listen to children’s music.

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ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 06, 2002 05:03 PM

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Well El,

It sounds like you have a very bright and open minded child. Which I think is terrific and you're very fortunate. Maybe he's destined to become a great jazz musician and make lots of money and support mom & dad in their golden years! You never know!! But, then again.... there ain't a lot of wealthy jazz musicians!

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sk@@ter

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Member # 1702

posted February 06, 2002 09:05 PM

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I've long admired pianist Geri Allen - just a superbly talented woman and rather underrated one at that...

see Etudes , The Nurturer, & the great trio live sessions (Allen/Haden/Motion) Segments, Live at the Village Vanguard...

cheers

sk@@ter

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selim

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Member # 2007

posted February 07, 2002 12:46 AM

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I heard a track on the radio a couple of years ago by Emily Remler & was totally blown away .

I have always meant to track some down ( i have never really seen alot though )but there always seems to be other things you hear & seem become bigger priorities.

I really must hunt some down - Any recommendations ?

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bertrand

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Member # 230

posted February 07, 2002 01:45 AM

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Emily Remler's Cat Walk is an excellent place to start.

Thanks for bringing Emily up - she was a fantastic musician, and never gets enough mention. Jim Hall liked her a lot, which speaks volumes.

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Bertrand.

uberall@wizard.net

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Posts: 1777 | From: Bethesda, MD | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 07, 2002 08:34 AM

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I agree "Catwalk" is very good, but the one to really shoot for by Ms. Remler is "East To Wes", also on Concord. Highly

recommended. I always enjoyed her work and she is surely missed.

BTW, as I recall she did a duet album sometime back in the 80's with Larry Coryell that was highly regarded. I think it was recorded just a few years before her death.

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fitzgera

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Member # 269

posted February 07, 2002 10:06 AM

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I like the Coryell/Remler duo album a lot and I am not normally a big guitar duo fan.

The final ER records were some kind of smooth jazzy things, I believe. She made comments about how she had been forced to play the role of the straightahead jazz musician and how that wasn't who she really was.

Mike

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Jim R

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Member # 116

posted February 07, 2002 10:09 AM

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quote:

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Originally posted by ED!:

...she did a duet album sometime back in the 80's with Larry Coryell...

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TOGETHER (Concord 289), recorded in August, 1985.

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John Shelton

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Member # 795

posted February 07, 2002 10:21 AM

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No one seems to have mentioned tenor saxist Erica Lindsay, she's on two Baikida Carroll cds, Marionettes On A High Wire(Omnitone)and Door Of The Cage(Soul Note). Definitely worth a listen. Also there was a great girl on trombone in David Murray's Octet tour of the UK a couple of years back, Sarah Morrow but I can't confirm that's how she spells her name. Apologies if I have it wrong. Does anyone know anything about her?

[ February 07, 2002: Message edited by: John Shelton ]

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ED!

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Member # 1633

posted February 07, 2002 05:25 PM

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John,

Excellent point about Erica Lindsay, she does sound good on both of those fine discs.

Sarah Morrow, had a debut release last summer called "Greenlight" on the Summit label. She's pretty good, but I couldn't get too excited about the overall music on the disc. I played it a couple of times and off it went. Haven't listened to it since. Somehow it just didn't do a lot for me.

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John Shelton

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Member # 795

posted February 08, 2002 07:42 AM

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Ed

Thanks for the info on Sarah Morrow, she was a pleasant surprise with Murray's Octet, and left a good impression.

John

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Tony Jerant

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Member # 212

posted February 09, 2002 07:23 AM

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Most of my favorites have been mentioned:

Renee Rosnes

Geri Allen

Lorraine Geller

Melba Liston

Some others:

Melissa Slocum (bass - was with Ralph Peterson's group for a while, what's she been up to?)

Let's not forget Shirley Horn, who although primarily known as a vocalist is a superb piano accompaniest who could probably easily have a made a living backing OTHER singers if she wasn't so gifted herself.

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mikeweil

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Member # 1606

posted February 25, 2003 02:54 PM

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Rebecca Coupe Franks, good trumpet player.

Monette Sudler, guitarist.

Patti Bown, pianist with Quincy Jones' big band around 1960.

Jane Ira Bloom has been my favourite soprano player ever since I first heard her on her self-produced debut LP.

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Peter Friedman

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Member # 2896

posted February 25, 2003 03:16 PM

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Holly Hoffman - flute

Virginia Mahew - tenor sax

Jennifer Leitham - bass

Sherrie Maricle - drums

Laura Dreyer - alto sax

Karoline Strassmayer - alto sax

lorraine Desmarais - piano

Nicki Parrott - bass

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Edited by EKE BBB
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Leora Henderson, Fletcher Henderson's wife, occasionally played trumpet with the band. She is reputed to be the second trumpet soloist on Henderson's recording of "Blue Moments", a solo so incompetent that it was edited out when re-released on "A Study in Frustration" (according to Walter Allen).

Does anyone know anything about a 1920s trumpet player named Doll Jones?

Norma Carson plays trumpet on one track of the Clark Terry Verve Elite CD. The cut was from a mid-1950s album "Cats vs Chicks". Carson plays well, although Clark Terry overwhelms her with his technique. Why the whole date wasn't put on CD is puzzling, although stupid behavior on the part of THE GUARDIANS OF JAZZ is often the norm, so I suppose it isn't that puzzling after all.

Edited by Brownian Motion
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Bringin´ back this old topic:

Topic: Women in Jazz

Rachel

Member

Member # 1631

posted February 03, 2002 11:50 AM

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The thread about Marilyn Crispell (whom I love) in this forum got me thinking about women in jazz. Jazz, maybe more than any other genre of music, seems to have a lop-sided representation for instrumentalists as far as gender goes. This isn't a criticism; it just strikes me as curious. Anyway, vocalists aside, what female instrumentalists do you recommend? I wish there was more Annette Peacock available.

I am amazed that Irene Schweizer is not mentioned.

If you like the more adventurous type of music, she is one that should be looked at.

She actually did a duo cd with Marylin Crispell

Including all the other duo albums with various drummers

Wonderful stuff.

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Co Streiff is another highly competent swiss jazz musician. She's got a recent CD out on Intakt, Qattara. Quite a good record, by the way.

The band (a sextett, Ms Streiff plays alto and soprano sax) presents a good mix of free and groove.

078.jpg

After her successful duo album on Intakt Records

with the pianist Irène Schweizer, the saxophone player Co Streiff presents her first CD with her own band: the Co Streiff Sextet. Co Streiff's experiences with the Circus Theater Federlos, with the group Kadash, with the Vienna Art Orchestra and in the duo with the pianist Irène Schweizer have bundled up into a fascinating musical mixture. The Egyptian desert landscape with its hot windy days and clear cold nights has not only given Co Streiff the name of her sextet's CD but also characterizes the music. It was not only since she lived the nomadic lifestyle with the Circus Theater Federlos or with Kadash that she has felt attracted towards North Africa. She likes Arabian folk music, the raw sound of the instruments, the barren, the unpolished, and original quality of the material. Co Streiff and her sextet love the change of worlds. They feel related to Sun Ra or the Art Ensemble of Chicago. With their roots firmly planted in jazz and inspired from the world of African music, the Co Streiff Sextet develops strong grooves and plays almost like a dance band: an extremely personal musical world.

(from the link posted above)

Here is a link to Irene Schweizer's records on Intakt.

ubu

Edited by king ubu
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Schweizer's sick! Her sides for FMP and Wergo (and of course the PIP) are sooo heavy...

Others: flutist/alto saxophonist Becky Friend (an associate of Sunny Murray and Alan Silva), multi-instrumentalist Zusaan/Kali Fasteau (-Garrett), of the Sea Ensemble and other aggregations. Karen Borca (referred to as "Helen" in an earlier post) is/was a wonderful bassoonist in Jimmy Lyons' bands.

C

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BM said: "Leora Henderson, Fletcher Henderson's wife, occasionally played trumpet with the band. She is reputed to be the second trumpet soloist on Henderson's recording of "Blue Moments", a solo so incompetent that it was edited out when re-released on "A Study in Frustration" (according to Walter Allen)."

  • Whether or not that trumpet solo was by Leora has never been ascertained (not even Walter Allen knew). In preparing the Study in Frustration reissue, Frank Driggs presented "Blue Moments" as a previously unreleased take, and gave it the "A" designation. It is, in fact, take "B." Frank, inexplicably, perpetrated a fraud by slowing it down and removing the solo.

"Does anyone know anything about a 1920s trumpet player named Doll Jones?"

  • As far as I know, trumpeter Dolly Jones only appears on a couple of 1926 sides by trombonist Albert Wynn's Gut Bucket Five: "When" and "That Creole Band." (The former has a vocal by Lillie Delk Christian).

    When I recorded Wynn in 1961, I specifically asked him about Dolly, but he couldn't give me much information about her.

"Norma Carson plays trumpet on one track of the Clark Terry Verve Elite CD. The cut was from a mid-1950s album "Cats vs Chicks". Carson plays well, although Clark Terry overwhelms her with his technique."

  • I was working at Keflavik Air Base (in Iceland) in May 1956, when Norma Carson came up with a USO group. She had her own quintet with Paul Bley, piano, Bob Newman, tenor, Jimmy Bonds, bass, and Al Levitt, drums. I remember only that she wore a sexy zebra-patterned dress, favored Fats Navarro and Miles Davis, and that she played rather well.

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Frank, inexplicably, perpetrated a fraud by slowing it down and removing the solo.

Well, I understand where Frank Driggs was coming from. "Blue Moments" plays most of the way through as an exceptional side with a great Hawk solo and an absolutely sublime trumpet solo from Bobby Stark. And then in the last chorus comes this coarse, inept trumpet work that really fouls an aural treat and leaves a bad aftertaste. Driggs' solution wasn't honest, but his improvements were real.

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Tony Jerant said:

"Melissa Slocum (bass - was with Ralph Peterson's group for a while, what's she been up to?) "

I heard her play at the Vision Festival in NYC a few years ago in a quartet led by David "Fathead" Newman, with Winard Harper (and I don't remember the fourth -- oops!) -- but it was a beautiful set.

She's also on Kevin Mahogany's 2002 CD "Pride & Joy".

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Terri Lyne Carrington is one of my fav. drummers, her work on the recent Herbie Hancock "Future2Future Live" DVD was very nice and also on Herbie's BET On Jazz DVD (which I sold, gotta get that again sometime) Shari Maricle from Diva is an excellent drummer as well, saw them live at Binghamton University, also saw Ingrid Jensen there too, hell of a player, very very nice as well when I met her afterwards.

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Schweizer's sick! Her sides for FMP and Wergo (and of course the PIP) are sooo heavy...

C

Her "Chicago piano solo live" is full of humor, Monk, and Ibrahim influences are evident, other good ones are the duo's cds with Pierre Favre and Han Bennink.

Han is always fun anyway.

As far as other women musicians try "4 roses" an all woman group with pianist

Florence Melnotte.

Florence just released a duo cd with Brian Torff (bass) that is exceptional.

Drummer Beatrice Graaf plays in various outfits that have been released on the Enja label.

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