Nothing draws attention to the contributions of women in jazz like a festival honoring their achievements. The late Billy Taylor, Kennedy Center artistic director for jazz, founded the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, which celebrates 16 years this week at the Kennedy Center with three days of star-studded performances featuring, naturally, the women. Hosted by jazz luminary Dee Dee Bridgewater, the festival aims bright floodlights on the world’s most respected and accomplished female artists from the well-known to the up-and-coming, all gathering in the name of the late Williams.
“She was a female pioneer, beyond gender and classification,” explained Bridgewater. “She [was] an amazing composer and arranger and was very much ahead of her time [with] music so contemporary.”
| Onstage |
| Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival |
| Where: Terrace Theatre, the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW |
| When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday |
| Info: $38 to $95; 202-467-4600; 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org |
In Kennedy Center’s homage to jazz, both past and present, Bridgewater introduces three distinctive sets of musicians per night performing with their own ensembles. Thursday night the show is all about the JaLaLa vocal group featuring founding members of the Manhattan Transfer, Janis Siegel and Laurel Masse together with Lauren Kinhan of New York Voices. Also on the bill are flutist Jamie Baum and her Septet and, finally, saxophonist Tia Fuller and her Quartet.
Friday night’s program is a tribute to the late vocalist, Abbey Lincoln. Diana Reeves and Cassandra Wilson and Bridgewater herself, will perform under the musical direction of Terri Lyne Carrington.
The festival’s finale on Saturday night showcases multi-instrumentalist Corky Hale, plus the duo of pianist Peggy Stern and saxophonist “Sweet” Sue Terry. Special guest vocalist Marlena Shaw with Five Play’s drummer Sherrie Maricle, saxophonist Janelle Reichman, bassist Noriko Ueda, pianist Tomoko Ohno and trumpet and flugelhorn player Jamie Dauber close out another year of Women in Jazz.
Bridgewater notes that she was mainly influenced by the great Betty Carter and maintains it is much easier for women in jazz because of the achievements of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Mary Lou Williams.
“The opportunity is available to any [woman] who wishes to take it,” Bridgewater said, adding, “It’s all there; we just have to fight a little bit to get the recognition, but it’s there. Nothing should come easy.”
