3rd April 2016, Sunday
The Pune Jazz & Blues Club returned with this month’s programme on ‘Women In Jazz Song.’ The presentation was conducted by Komal Kuwadekar who followed it through with a live performance. Komal was on vocals, Ashdin Bharucha on the guitar, David Mansey on bass and Aubrey Dias was handling the keyboard. Komal was efficiently showcasing some of the musical styles discussed during the presentation.
Vocal jazz styles from its roots till the present day were reviewed – from the more obvious (Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald) to the lesser-known (Mary Lou Williams, Hazel Scott) along with some examples of their work. The presentation also included scat singing, a core aspect of jazz vocalization.
Even though the roots of Jazz are rich with the active participation of African American women in gospels and blues, female musicians have all pursued and fought throughout their careers, frequently facing extreme prejudice, exploitation and outright erasure to be heard and recognized. Over time they have emerged as icons. Their talent, their style and their indisputable influence on the music world were discussed in this session.
