Cultural Whirl

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Community Composers join Parkway Middle School Jazz Band and Vocal Ensemble at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, through a Broward Schools SEAS Grant on Monday, November 21, 2011, at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Arrangements of songs by Joan Cartwright by Dr. Malcolm Black Arrangement of Stumpblocker by Arthur James Wilscon Arrangement of Light The Way by Paul Banman

At four senior centers in Miami Beach, Community Musicwomen performed on January 26, 27 and 29, 2011, through a grant from Miami Beach Arts Gala. The musicians included Kim J on Sax, Keyboard and EWI; Crystal Sawyer The Lady of Harp; Parkway Middle School Vocal Ensemble led by Lorna Lesperance; Joan Cartwright and Melody Cole; and Joan Cartwright and Jazz Hotline with Paul Banman on keyboards and Anthony Turner on bass. The seniors appeared to be having a wonderful time and many of them asked when we were coming back! This program is presented by Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes women musicians, globally. Click here for all photos .

Though music in school is become very scarce, there are some schools still offering kids the great musical experience. Parkway Middle School in Lauderhill, Florida, is one of those schools. On Saturday, October 24, 2010, Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. produced the Lauderhill Jazz Jam , featuring the Jazz Band and Vocal Ensemble from Parkway Middle School. The band is led by sax man Melton Mustafa, Jr. and the vocal ensemble is led by Lorna Lesperance. These kids blew the audience away and will be our pet project for years to come. See photos at http://wijsf.com/photos.htm Also featured were Sons of MyStro with Umoja and Malcolm McNeish on violins and Jamel Morris-Bailey on guitar. Watch videos of Joan Cartwright and Jazz Hotline and Eugene Grey and Company . Joan Cartwright Executive Director http://www.wijsf.org/

On March 26, 2009, the IRS approved the 501(c)(3) status of WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., a 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. For contact information and details on our sponsorship proposal go to this link: SPONSOR WIJSF, INC.

Joan's newest book (#9) ********** Gayelynn McKinney (4-1) - Aziza Miller (4-8) Tune in to interview with GAYELYNN MCKINNEY of Straight Ahead on April 1 and on April 8, we feature pianist/composer/vocalist Aziza Miller Just go to http://www.wijsf.com/ and the show will start immediately. It'll be up until April 8, 2009, at 8:30 p.m. EST Then it'll be archived at www.wijsf.com/radio.htm Diva JC - www.fyicomminc.com MUSICWOMAN LIVE! www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman

Jazz is makin' do with taters and grits Standing up each time you get hit Jazz ain't nothin' but soul From 1968 to 1970, I visited every jazz room in New York City. I went from Slug's in the Far East on 2nd Street between Avenues A and B all the way uptown to Club Baron and Small's Paradise. In the Village, I was at the Blue Note, Village Vanguard and Village Gate. Every Jazzmobile was on my list of things to do, whether it was in Queens, The Bronx, Manhattan or Brooklyn. The memory that has stayed with me throughout my Jazz Excursion is the song given to me on a lead sheet by the composer Norman Mapp who also wrote "Mr. Ugly" and "I Worry 'Bout You". This was in 1983, at Freddy's on the lower east side, when I was petitioning the manager for a night to bring my band there. Norman handed me the song, after we had a long discussion at the bar about my two mentors Betty "Bebop" Carter and Joe Lee Wilson . Both of them recorded an...

THIS IS A POST ON http://www.themodernvocalist.com/ I am currently a member of the "Blues Singers Group" on this site. I went on it just a bit ago to check on the activity. I am sad to see that there has been little activity since mid February. Talk about being blue about something, with all the talent & intellegence I have seen since joining this site I would have thought more contributions would be proffered. Singing the Blues is akin to playing the Blues on guitar, or sax, or harmonica, or piano. We attribute W. C. Handy with the 1st Bastion who held the Blues tune up like a torch, blazing in the twilight of inspiration. If not for Bessie Mae Smith @ 1919 who with her voice launched a timeless hit, we may never have heard Handy's " St. Louis Blues". Louie Armstrong may have never joined her with the Coronet & this song may have passed on into obscurity. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Louie Armstrong, B.B. King, the names go on & on forming & fo...

Here are photos from our events to date in 2009 http://ping.fm/7p7eH

Mar 3, 2009 FUNDRAISER at Christine's WOMEN IN JAZZ ENSEMBLE March 7, 2009 @ 3pm to 5pm African American Research Library & Cultural Center 2650 Sistrunk Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 www.wijsf.com/events/aarlcc-wij.htm www.wijsf.com/projects/announcements.htm Contact Info: 954-607-7471 Admission $20 Benefits Friends of AARLCC TUNE IN TO MUSICWOMAN LIVE! every Wednesday at www.blogtalkradio.com Archived shows are linked at www.wijsf.com/radio.htm