Women in Jazz Media is “a not for profit organization created to help support and create an equal, diverse, safe and healthy Jazz Industry”. WIJM won the Jazz Media Awards at the 2021 Parliamentary Awards, and has been nominated twice for an award for gender at the National Diversity Awards. With its magazine, playlists, monthly member news, podcasts and mentoring, WIJM is having a significant impact on the UK jazz scene.
On 4 June it will host an event at Jazz Cafe Posk. The evening will be in part a celebration of Maxine Gordon, making a rare visit to the UK, and who will be interviewed… and in part a concert with several top-flight artists.
Maxine Gordon, Arts Advocate, Jazz Historian, Archivist, Scholar, Manager & Producer has been patron of Women in Jazz Media since March 2022. Maxine Gordon’s biography, outlining the important role she has played in furthering the cause of jazz – and of musicians such as Gil Evans, Shirley Scott ( a close friend for several decades) is HERE. Her book “Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon” (University of California Press) has been described as “a landmark contribution to the literature of the jazz” (Seattle Times)
PROGRAMME FOR 4 JUNE
7.30pm Doors open
8.30 J Steps
8.50. The Dexter Set with Emma Rawicz, Camilla George, Hannah Horton and Tony Kofi:
9:45 Interval
10:00 Q&A with Maxine Gordon and Fiona Ross:
10.30 Laura Impallomeni, Wendy Kirkland and Vimala Rowe:
Women in Jazz Media’s Press Release states:
“This incredible event features some of the most exciting saxophonists in the UK today, Hannah Horton, Camilla George, Emma Rawicz and Tony Kofi performing the music of Dexter Gordon along with a rare opportunity to celebrate the music of Shirley Scott, Maxine Sullivan, Velma Middleton and Melba Liston with UK’s leading jazz artists pianist Wendy Kirkland, vocalist Vimala Rowe and trombonist Laura Impallomeni.
“This special night also opens with a tribute to Dexter Gordon from J Steps, the fantastic new initiative in jazz led by UK jazz saxophonist Hannah Horton as part of Guildhall Young Artists, with its main aim being to tackle the historic lack of representation of women in jazz. Women in Jazz Media is a not for profit global organisation, founded by Fiona Ross that was created to support and create an equal, diverse, safe and healthy Jazz Industry. It was announced on International Women’s Day, March 2022, that Maxine Gordon is their new patron.
‘Maxine Gordon is a force in her own right, advocating for the music and musicians in many capacities, as a partner, friend, manager, and scholar.’ All About Jazz
Maxine Gordon is an award winning Arts Advocate, Jazz Historian, Archivist, Scholar, Manager & Producer and Legend. Author of Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon, (which was awarded Book of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association) and forthcoming book, Jazz Quartette: Shirley Scott, Velma Middleton, Melba Liston, Maxine Sullivan. Maxine is the President of The Dexter Gordon Society, consultant at the Bronx Music Heritage Centre, Jazz Researcher at the Bronx African American History Project, archivist for The Dexter Gordon Collections, Library of Congress and so much more…
June 4th’s event sees a rare UK visit from Maxine Gordon and the Q&A session is not to be missed! The first part of the event is dedicated to her award winning book ‘Sophisticated Giant’ and her life with Dexter Gordon, with a special set of his music performed by an incredible line up of saxophonists, Camilla George, Tony Kofi and rising stars Emma Rawicz and Hannah Horton. The second part of the evening with pianist Wendy Kirkland, vocalist Vimala Rowe and trombonist Laura Impallomeni, explores the rarely heard music of Shirley Scott, Velma Middleton, Melba Liston, Maxine Sullivan, the focus of Maxine’s next book, Jazz Quartette.”
