What better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than experiencing the art of five talented female musicians?
On March 7 at 7:30 p.m., East End Jazz will put on Voices of Vision — a show highlighting compositions from female musicians of the past and today, played by five New York-based artists — at Jamesport Meeting House.
Iris Ornig, director of East End Jazz and bassist, will lead the group and perform a composition of her own, as each performer is bringing one piece of their personal work to showcase.
“It will be a fantastic show and very powerful,” says Ornig.
Last year, Ornig hosted a similar show with vocalists Vanessa Trouble and Olivia Foschi in celebration of Women’s History Month.
For Voices of Vision, she aimed to have more of an instrumental focus, continuing to honor Billie Holiday and Lil Hardin Armstrong as they did last year, but other musicians like Alice Coltrane and Carla Bley as well, in large and small group arrangements.
She’ll be joined by saxophonist Ada Rovatti, who grew up playing classical piano in Italy and since has become a talented musician, educator, performer, composer and champion for female artists.
“I grew up without many role models as a woman musician,” says Rovatti. “So, for me, it’s always a treat when I have the chance to play with other women.”
Rovatti, who says her first language was music, reading notes on a page before she could read words, was inspired to learn the saxophone from hearing it in her brother’s favorite genre, R&B.
“I loved the fact that there was a different spin to the music,” says Rovatti. “There are a freedom and an elasticity to jazz that you can really stretch out and really reflect what is on your mind.”
Yuko Togami, the drummer in the group, was raised around music as her mother was a eurythmics and piano teacher. At three years old, she started eurythmics and picked up the piano at five. It wasn’t until high school that she became a percussionist.
“I don’t often have the chance to perform with female musicians, so I’m really looking forward to this rare opportunity and to seeing what kind of chemistry we create together,” says Togami. “I appreciate that this show highlights female musicians and gives us a space to support one another. I think it’s important to have diverse voices and perspectives in music and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Saxophonist Lo Wood, who has performed at both, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, will join the group along with pianist, New York Club circuit veteran and educator Cecilia Coleman.
Beyond Women’s History Month, East End Jazz continues supporting performers through educational programs and other opportunities that bring jazz to the community.
“The beauty about jazz or about any kind of art is that there’s a lot of improvisation and being creative,” says Ornig. “I think it’s important that everybody from one to 99, gets to be creative and try to improvise and get out of their comfort zone.”
Tickets for the March 7 show, priced at $20, are available here.
