Episode 22, Women in Jazz

To help celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 here is a program on Women in Jazz.  Yes…there are a lot of great female vocalists.   The most heralded jazz singers are women: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Sheila Jordan, Betty Carter, Nina Simone, and so many others.   But you may not be familiar with some of the great female instrumentalists.  Hopefully this episode will change that. Who are some of them?  I could mention ones I’m familiar with such as Lil Harden (Armstrong), Mary Lou Williams, Marian McPartland, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Brandi Disterheft, Chelsea McBride, Regina Carter, Melba Liston, Jane Bunnett, Melissa Aldana, Carla Bley, Deirdre Cartwright, Esperanza Spalding, Diana Krall, Jennifer Scott,  Yissy Garcia, Patricia Barber, Hiromi, Yusa.  Then there are ones I can’t recall right now.  And many more with whom I’m not yet familiar…..and hopefully will someday hear. Only some of them I can play on a one hour program.  I hope you enjoy the ones I selected.