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International Women in Jazz Festival 2009

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International Women in Jazz (IWJ) and The Jazz Committee at Saint Peters Church/Midtown Arts Common present the Third Annual Women in Jazz Festival.

Honoring Jazz Vocalist, Annie Ross and remembering Jazz Vocalist, Etta Jones.

The festival includes live music presented by IWJ bands, jazz chorus and a jam session, a Business Panel for musicians, a Legends Panel at which Annie Ross will be interviewed and Etta Jones remembered. There will be a reception with live music.

The Saturday evening concert will feature the Annie Ross Quintet. On Sunday evening after Jazz Vespers, the Cynthia Scott ensemble will perform in concert. IWJ bands will perform at both evening concerts.

Annie Ross is a vocal legend, a consummate storyteller, a spellbinder and one of the few proponents of the unique art of vocalese. Known on both sides of the Atlantic, she attained much success when she teamed with Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks.
Marcia Hillman, All About Jazz

Annie is a superb composer and has written the lyrics of well known jazz standards, including Twisted, Farmers Market and others. She has made more than 20 albums. Annie Ross, as actress, has performed in the theatre including Three Penny Opera with Vanessa Redgrave, The Seven Deadly Sins for the Royal Ballet, as well as the Joe Papp production of The Pirates of Penzance with Tim Curry. She has appeared on TV and in several films including Short Cuts directed by Robert Altman, among others.

Annie Ross is a vocalist who comes from the inside of the music she stretches the intonation, rhythm and mood of a song to make it memorable and personal and heartfelt. No one else has her style, her depth or her way of delivering a line. There is only one Annie Ross.
B.H. Hopper

she is a jazz singer without a peer.
John S. Wilson, The New York Times

Annie currently appears at the Metropolitan Room in New York on Tuesday evenings.

Cynthia Scott got her start as a member of the highly acclaimed Ray Charles Raelettes. She holds a Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music and is on the vocal staff of the New School and City College as a private teacher. Cynthia has recorded 4 CDs; the latest is Dream for One Bright World.

She represented her country as Jazz Ambassador 2004 and was the first singer selected to travel abroad as a cultural exchange on the life of a Jazz Singer. She is a 1998 International Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition Finalist. Wynton Marsalis introduced her as one of todays finest jazz singers.

Cynthia sings with remarkable smooth intonation that stands out for its quiet intensity.
The Chicago Tribune

Etta Jones had a rhythm and blues background and in her early career performed with the bands of Buddy Johnson, Barney Bigard, Earl Hines and Art Blakey.

Etta Jones recorded more than two dozen albums and earned three Grammy Award nominations during her six-decade-long career. Her popularity peaked in 1960 with the release of her single “Don't Go to Strangers," which climbed to number five on the R&B charts. In the late 1960s Jones formed a duo with tenor saxophonist Houston Person, with whom she toured for the next 35 years.
Wendy Kagan Index of Musician Biographies

Together Etta and Houston recorded 18 albums for the Muse label. Her final recording was released the day she died: Etta Jones Sings Lady Day.

An important part of the Festival will be the Legends Wall featuring Annie Ross and Etta Jones historic careers.

Women in Jazz Festival began in 2007 as a partnership between The Jazz Committee of Saint Peters Church/Midtown Arts Common and the International Women in Jazz which also holds its meetings at Saint Peters church. The mission of the Festival is to recognize the achievements and significance of women jazz musicians, and to give women jazz musicians the opportunity to share their talent with other members of the jazz world.

Women in Jazz Festival 2009 Honoring Annie Ross and Etta Jones
Featuring Annie Ross and Cynthia Scott
April 24 26, 2009
Saint Peters Church
619 Lexington at 54th Street, NYC
212 935 2200.

Friday, April 24: 7 PM
Youth in Action Camille Thurman, Dona Carters IWJ Chorus, Arlee Leonard Band, jam session / Linda Presgrave Trio

Saturday, April 25: (Afternoon events: Free)
4 PM Panel Manager and Agent To Have or to Have Not with Gail Boyd, Joel Chriss, Karen Kennedy with moderator Lois Gilbert.

5 PM Legends Panel Interview of Annie Ross and Remembering Etta Jones 6PM Reception with Deanna Witkowski
7 PM Concert Featuring Annie Ross Quintet and IWJ bands led by Taeko Fukao, LTanya Mari. ($20 suggested ticket donation)

Sunday, April 26:
5 PM Jazz Vespers with Chanda Rule (Free)
7 PM Concert Featuring Cynthia Scott Ensemble and IWJ bands led by Mari Toussaint and Mercedes Hall. ($20 suggested ticket donation)

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