Initially, the forum included a panel of 6 including musicians and wives of musicians concluding with a musical presentation. An honorarium was paid to all participants. Ms Blair funded the entire program herself. The presentation has evolved to be Intergen-
erational and the addition of more music. We ask that each panelist in addition to the discussion, present a small selection of her art.
Jazz! The Women’s View Point has had stellar roster of talented musicians and equally talented wives of musicians lend support to this forum over the years. They include Amina Baraka, Dena Vireo, Miriam Sullivan, Charande Wade, Bertha Hope Melba Joyc
e, Bernice Brooks, Dee Ramey, Evelyn Blakely, Linda Hudson Deidre Murray, Jacqueline Bonneau, Keisha St Joan, Akua Dixon Turre, Lil Phillips, Lakeisha Benjamin, Keisha Saint Joan, the Kim Clarke Trio, Tulivu Donna Cumberbatch, Nikki Williams, as well as the wives of musicians Bayyinah Abdus Sabur, Eloise Jones, Gloria Ware, Carline Ray, Carolyn Dunlop, Sayydah Garrett, Sandy Jordan and Amy Olatunji. The last couple of years, the moderator has been Shelia Anderson of WBGO.
2 comments:
It's wonderful to see that the tradition is being carried on. Women in Jazz have always been at the forefront of the art, though they may not get the recognition that Jazzmen get.
I am from Queens and attended high school in Brooklyn. When I was performing in New York, Bob Cunningham and Bross Townsend were my dynamic duo. Also, I worked with Danny Mixon, Kuni Makami, Kim Clarke and Artie Simmons and The Jazz Samaritans.
I moved to Philadelphia in 1976, where I pursued my B.A. in Music and Communications. I moved to South Florida in 1984, where my career really took off. I sang at most of the jazz venues and festivals, there, until I moved to Switzerland, where I performed for eight years, there and in seven other European countries. In 1998, I produced Gaiafest, A Celebration of Mother Earth with Women in Jazz, featuring Vanessa Rubin, Bertha Hope, Bernice Brooks and Kim Clarke. We honored Dakota Staton, who also performed at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, at our Gala Event. Since then, I've been trying to attract sponsors to have an annual event, but to no avail. In 1991, just before 911, Daimler/Chrysler was considering being our sponsor, but the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York brought that idea to a halt.
For three years, I received a grant from Broward County Schools to present my concert/lecture on Women in Jazz and I educated over 5,000 children on the subject.
I met Rosalind Blair, in 1992, when she visited our mutual friend, Stella Timmons, in Fort Lauderdale. Stella brought Rosalind and her husband to my gig atop Pier 66 and we took photos together.
I've know Stella, the wife of Bobby Timmons, since 1968, when Jest Us had jazz concerts at the Blue Coronet in Brooklyn. She's remained a dear friend of mine all these years. We attended jazz events in South Florida, together, until I moved to Atlanta.
My book, IN PURSUIT OF A MELODY will be published this Spring. It contains 40 of my original compositions in the jazz, blues, classical and pop genres. The book is a memoir of my career and contains lots of photos, poems and essays.
See the press release at
Joan Cartwright's New Book
It would be great if your group would sponsor a book signing for me in 2006. Contact me at jazzisus@aol.com or 404-768-5778.
Love and Music,
Joan Cartwright
www.fyicomminc.com
See photo of Joan Cartwright, Stella Timmons, Rosalind Blair and husband, Pier 66, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (1992)
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