Celebrating 7 years of Musical Service! Join us, today!

As of Febuary 1, 2014, we have 260 members, 137 musicians!

Music, the sound of the spheres, begins in the womb! ~ Diva JC

MUSICIAN’S SURVEY | SIGN THE PETITION | MAKE A DONATION | SHOPPING

Freedom fighter Harriett Tubman said “I freed a thousand slaves and I could have freed a thousand more, if only they knew they were slaves.” I say, “I could promote a thousand women musicians, if only they knew they are marginalized!” ~ Joan Cartwright, Founder of WIJSF, Inc.

Featured in this issue: www.womeninjazz-nyc.org, Gail Jhonson, Beth Levin, Nick Mathis, Joan Cartwright, Lynne Moore, Mimi Johnson, Sandi Blair, Ragan Whiteside, Carolyn Wilkins, Nika Rejto, Geetu Hinduja, Shana Tucker

FIRST AND FOREMOST: IMPORTANT & URGENT

BRING JAZZ MUSIC BACK TO THE GRAMMY’S by signing this Petition
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bring-jazz-music-back-to-the-grammys

I really think this is an important cause, and I’d like to encourage you to add your signature, too.

It’s free and takes just a few seconds of your time.

* * * * *

WIJSF MEMBERS IN ATLANTA, GA – help our organization Earn From Our KROGER Community

Join our Community at Kroger, so every time you shop our 501(c)(3) WOMEN IN JAZZ SOUTH FLORIDA, INC. gets a donation. I appreciate your doing this. Go to the website below and enroll.

Our assigned NPO number is 31429. TO USE THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:

Simply encourage your members to register online at www.krogercommunityrewards.com
Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with, after you sign up.
If a member does not have a Kroger Plus card, they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger.
Click on Sign In/Register
Most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, enter your email address and create a password, and agree to the terms and conditions
You will get a message to check your email. Click the link in the body of the email.
Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
Update or confirm your information.
Enter NPO number 31429 or organization’s name, select organization from list, and click CONFIRM.
To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page.
REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your group, until after you register your KROGER card.
To use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377, select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
Members must swipe registered Kroger Plus card or phone number related to registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.

Cordially,
Mimi Johnson, Secretary
CEO of CAUSTIC ENT GROUP & MJTV NETWORK
www.mimijohnson.net
causticent@gmail.com | 404-919-7184

VOTE FOR WIJSF MEMBERS, Deadline is February 22, 2014

DEAR WIJSF MEMBERS EVERYWHERE:

On March 1, Black Women in Jazz will pay tribute to some of our members.

NOMINATE OUR MEMBERS FIRST, PLEASE, deadline Feb. 22. The link is http://www.bwijawards.com/vote.php.

Please share with your networks that we are asking them to vote for US!!!

WIJSF CD #4 (Jazz Record of the Year) (THIS VOTE WILL BENEFIT ALL COMPOSERS ON ALL OF OUR CDS, ESPECIALLY #4)
Joan Cartwright (vocals, composer, literature, producer, record of the year)
Mimi Johnson (playwright, filmmaker, etc.)
Shana Tucker (cello, composer, video of the year, etc.)
Gail Jhonson (piano, composer)
Renee Baker (violin)
Sharon Marie Cline (vocalist)
LeNora Jaye (vocalist)
Ragan Whiteside (flute, composer)
Deanna Cannon (clarinet)
Joyce Spencer (sax, flute, composer, etc.)

Note: nominated members may vote for themselves but only vote ONCE, please.

For the other nominated women in photography, art, sculpture, etc., Google them and make your choice.

Non-member Janice Littlejohn’s film “but. . .can she play?” is important!!!

If you are going to be in Atlanta on March 1 and want tickets, please let us know ASAP!

GO VOTE NOW! www.bwijawards.com/vote.php

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Every time I speak with my Dad in West Palm Beach and tell him how cold I am in Atlanta, GA, with my daughter MimiJohnsondotnet, he reminds me that I was born in New York City, in the winter (December 7). All I can say is “AND?!” I’m cold and I don’t like it. The freeze that Earth is dealing with is not fun. Even friends in Florida are calling to say it’s cold down there. Well, their cold is 40-50!

The temperature bottomed out here in Atlanta at 14 degrees, and our member from Finland, Aulikki Hirvensalo laughed, stating that the temperature in Finland is zero degrees Centigrade, which is -18 degrees Fahrenheit, just before she returned to her new home in Malta, where it’s a balmy 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

What’s this got to do with women musicians? Nothing, except that it’s pretty hard to gear up for a performance in freezing weather.

On a warmer note, seven members, living in Atlanta came together on Monday, January 13, 2014, to introduce themselves to each other and brainstorm on some programming here, in the near future. They are Mimi Johnson, Deanna Davis-Cannon (who hosted us at her lovely home in Marietta), Sandi Blair (who is facilitating a vocal workshop in January-February), Ragan Whiteside, Jae Duncan (featured on our first compilation CD with “Ever Yours“), and a potential member Jace Harnage. President Lorna Lesperance joined us on a conference call.

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Atlanta Members: Joan, Ragan, Jace, Sandy, Deanna, Mimi

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As I listen to my dear friend Charles McPherson’s Quintet with my teacher Barry Harris (p) play “I Believe In You” on YouTube, the greatest joy I have, besides my own family members, is to meet women musicians, face-to-face, who believe enough in me and our organization to become members.

One of those women is Radha Botofasina, a harpist, composer, and vocalist, who is originally from Queens, NY, but resides in Los Angeles. Radha and I spoke on the phone, extensively, but only met on January 21, when she had a layover at the Atlanta airport, after visiting her father in Miami. We got to hug each other, break bread together, and attend a jam session at the Atlanta Federation of Musicians and Twain’s Billiards in Decatur. Radha sang at both venues. This photo is at Twain’s with the house band and the video below is at AFM.

This is what our host at AFM, Arden Moser (85), had to say about our visit:

There is no way of predicting what kind of jam session we will have each week. That’s what makes them so interesting. This week was different. We had two visitors, lady musicians, one from Fort Lauderdale, that really set a pace, Joan Cartwright, and her friend from Los Angeles, Radha Botofasina, brought life to the session. Joan is a really, honest-to-goodness performer and also Executive Director of Women In Jazz, South Florida, Inc. What she and her voice did to Basie tunes was way beyond great. She had the hall rockin’.

Then, Radha sang “God Bless This Child” and even Billie Holiday had to stand up in heaven so she could hear better. From “God Bless This Child”, Radha moved to the piano and poured out some of the strongest blues heard in the hall for a long time.

The rest of the musicians fell into that groove and every one hated to see the time to end come along.

Fortunately, these two musical visitors say they will be back.

WIJSF POSTER CHILD

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet our 2014 WIJSF Poster Child! Shana Tucker is a cellist, vocalist, and composer of the highest caliber. This young woman works full-time for Cirque du Soleil and works with various bands around the country. Why, you ask, have I singled Shana Tucker out? She is one of our newest members. She is a triple-threat. And, she is one of the sweetest people I’ve spoken with in a very long time. Do NOT take my word for it. Google her, watch her on YouTube, and listen to her music on her website. You be the judge! In my opinion, she’s terrific!

Now, Shana – is that a lady on drums at the far right? If so, please recruit her by asking her to JOIN US!

Much Love,
Diva JC

Shana Tucker is vocalist and cellist for KÀ, the unprecedented epic production by Cirque du Soleil takes. Be awed by a dynamic theatrical landscape, as an entire empire appears on KÀ’s colossal stage. Live at MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Tues – Sat, 7:00 and 9:30 PM shows. www.cirquedusoleil.com.

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This year, we feature one organization a month that promotes and supports women’s music.

February’s organization is Women (in) Jazz – NYC that collaborates with LADY GOT CHOPS produced by bassist Kim Clarke, during March, for Women’s History Month Music and Arts Festival, a gathering of like minded individuals who

Celebrate women’s contribution during March women’s history month by either performing, promoting or attending events or showings
Provide a host space which will house the artist for the date or dates of performance or showing
Benefit from promotion that brings attention to their art or venue as well as a feeling of fellowship through participation.
Network with the public and other musicians arts and venues
Value the education provided by the elders and experienced in the arts
Have a progressive outlook, while maintaining a realistic view of the climate of the arts and life.

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

MEET OUR 260th MEMBER – NIKA REJTO

Meet our member in India, Geetu Hinduja!

carolynfuentesartwork

CAROLYN FUENTES ARTWORK

Ocean Flowers is a fluffy, colorful and submerged abstract flowers being indulged by animated fish. Combination of Drawings & Manipulation. © 2012 Zing Revolution, Inc. MCN: CG2T3-UST6N-CXDEA © 2012-03-01 23:39:36 UTC – All Rights Reserved.

Guitar Blue is an assorted combinations of blue-knit and violet abstract shapes forming a rhythm guitar featured on own stage. © 2012 Zing Revolution, Inc. MCN: C421N-3NE7E-APDFQ © 2012-04-18 04:29:07 UTC – All Rights Reserved. License info. @ website | Creative Commons License | Deviations / CD Covers / Miscellaneous by Fuentes is licensed under a Creative Commons. Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. Based on a work at www.fuentes1_resume.webs.com. Permissions beyond the scope of this license available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us. Visit Carolyn’s website.

Photo: George Wentzler

WELCOME!!! MUSICIAN, EDUCATOR, AND AUTHOR CAROLYN WILKINS

theyraisedmeup

Carolyn Wilkins, Professor of Ensembles at Berklee College in Boston, MA, will read and sign from her book They Raised Me Up that interweaves memoir with African American history to present a compelling story about race, music, and motherhood.

Saturday, February 8 @ 3 p.m.
57th Street Books
1301 E 57th Street
Chicago, IL 60637

Thursday, February 27 @ 7 p.m.
Porter Square Books
25 White Street
Cambridge, MA 02140

They Raised Me Up is available at Press.umsystem.edu and Amazon.com

NEW RELEASES

This film by Judy Chaikin and Nancy Kissock is so important. See viewing dates in February below.

Gene Siskel Film Center – Chicago, IL

Friday, February 21 at 6:00 pm
Saturday, February 22 at 3:00 pm
Monday, February 24 at 6:00 pm
Wednesday, February 26 at 6:00 pm
Thursday, February 27 at 7:45 pm

Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60601 • (312) 846-2800

BOOKS BY OUR MEMBERS


The two books above are by Gail Jhonson.Here she is at NAMM in L.A.

COMING UP THIS MONTH

Jeannette Pina spends hours collecting event information for her South Florida Jazz Events calendar, so everyone in South Florida will know where to go for the best Jazz!