Musicwoman Magazine 2019

Photo: Barbara Barefield

Aretha’s last drummer! www.musicwomanmagazine.com

Spring 2019 - 2

WIJSF MEMBERS

3 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Promoting women musicians, globally!

Musicwoman Magazine

©®™

TEAM Publisher Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc.

Founder/Executive Director Dr. Joan Cartwright – divajc47@yahoo.com Creative Director Dr. Joan Cartwright Executive Administrator Mimi Johnson – mimijohnson.wijsf@gmail.com Social Media Mimi Johnson; Marika Guyton; Libra Sene Copy Editor Dr. Joan Cartwright Creative Team Gail Jhonson; Radha Botafasina; Dr. Donna Singer, Lydia Harris Contributing Writers Andrea Brachfeld, Dr. Donna Singer, Dr. Joan Cartwright, Mo Xing, Mimi Johnson, Yvette Norwood-Tiger, Erin Peng, Gail Jhonson, Lydia Harris, Ragan Whiteside, Nika Rejto, Biggi Vinkeloe, Ellen Seeling, and Jean Fineberg CONNECT General Inquiries info@wijsf.org Advertising wijsf@yahoo.com Sponsorships wijsf@yahoo.com Musicwoman Podcast www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman Social Media www.wijsf.org www.musicwoman.wordpress.com www.facebook.com/groups/musicwomanmagazine www.issuu.com/joancartwright/docs/mwmag_august2013 www.twitter.com/wijsf | www.twitter.com/musicwoman Submissions www.wijsf.com/musicwoman/submissions.htm and wijsf@yahoo.com DISTRIBUTION For sale at Publix Super Markets, Barnes and Nobles Bookstores, and at wijsf.org Complimentary issues can be found year-round at select high-traffic locations and high-profile events through South Florida.

Check our website and fb pages for up-to-date lists of events.

Cover photo: Barbara Barefield Read Spring 2019 online: https://issuu.com/joancartwright/docs/musicwomanmagazine2019 ©2019 Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or any other method, without expressed permission of the publishers.

The articles, advertising, and reviews appearing within this publication reflect the attitudes and opinions of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the publishers and editors. All rights to advertisements including artwork, writing, designs, and copyrights are property of respective owners, and no assumption of ownership is made by this publication, publishers, or editors.

Spring 2019 - 4

FROM THE EDITOR Ten years ago, the Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. marketing team sat around my dining table to discuss the creation of Musicwoman Magazine©®™. We focused on funding this project and the bottom line was a strong advertisement base.

In 2013, I participated in the WIMUST Conference with 40 women composers in Fiuggi, Italy. Then, we published the first online edition. It was a beautiful magazine, but our President Lorna Lesperance insisted that we increase advertisement, before publishing, again. Access the first online edition of the magazine at: https://issuu.com/joancartwright/docs/mwmag_august2013

Marika Guyton

Lydia Harris

Lorna Lesperance

Dr. Joan Cartwright

Mimi Johnson

Now, in 2019, after publishing the Catalog of Women in Arts & Business in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018, we have our advertisement base, enough to print Volume 1 of Musicwoman Magazine©®™. This is an idea whose time has come! Women musicians are upward bound and need vehicles like this for promotion. The upside of this venture is the printing grant we competed for and won for five consecutive years from Conquest Graphics in Philadelphia, PA. The grants we won ranged from $750 to $5,000, which enabled us to print our catalog for four years and got us to where we could publish a full-sized magazine, highlighting the work of women musicians, globally!

This premiere edition features Gayelynn McKinney, our 340th member and the last drummer to perform with the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin! The inside stories are based upon our members’ experiences with the Six Keys to Success for all musicians and entrepreneurs: branding, marketing, networking, teamwork, negotiation, and accounting.

We plan to grow this publication through subscriptions from our members and the general public. We trust you will enjoy the attention paid to women musicians who have dedicated their lives to producing music to live your life by!

5 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Biggi Vinkeloe International President of WIJSF Global Dr. Joan Cartwright is an outstanding jazz singer and relentless advocate for gender equality for women musicians who perform, record, and teach within the field of jazz and other musical genres. She entrusted me with the position of International President for Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. and I feel honored to represent this global organization of women musicians.

This is the first, full-sized edition of Musicwomen Magazine. I was challenged to write an inspirational article to address the diverse, vibrant, active, and beautiful community of skilled and aware women musicians, and associated men, who work as singers, instrumentalists, composers, conductors, and writers.

I know what inspires me and my work as a composer, musician, educator, and music therapist. We all have different agendas, when it comes to music. But we like to see smiles on the faces of those we perform with and for. That is how we know we have established a connection with them.

As one of the few women saxophonists of my generation (60+), I perform, internationally, with musicians from different horizons in exciting genre-bending adventures. Besides numerous projects, a big part of my work is community-oriented. I teach saxophone, flute, and improvisation. There is not much media attention, large audiences, or big money in the field of improvisational music, instant composition, or avant-garde jazz. Instead, there is an intense focus on developing tools for composing music and for developing a space for experiences in an unknown territory.

Albert Ayler said, “Music is the healing force of the universe.â€? This is a powerful statement that I share with groups I conduct in schools in Uganda, India, Sweden, France, and the U.S. The Stans Häftigaste Orkester (SHO) is the most amazing orchestra in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is a workshop orchestra with musicians from 25 to 80 years old. Most players are in their 60s.

Teaching is based on doing, playing, listening, and imitating. It is a joyful experience that allows the participation of skilled and unskilled instrumentalists. What inspires me to keep on going is to find ways to be inclusive, communicate in a respectful and allowing environment, and create something bigger than myself.

Biggi Vinkeloe is a musician, composer, and educator in Sweden and California. She is a member of IMPRA, Sweden, since 2007, and the International President of the Board of Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. (2017-2019).

Spring 2019 - 6

Carmen Bradford Basie’s Girl!

CONTENTS

50 Lady C in Shanghai

26 Jean Fineberg & Ellen Seeling

20 Andrea Brachfeld

60

5

FROM THE EDITOR

6

International President’s Message

8

Don’t tell a man. Tell a woman!

9

Six Keys to Success

20

Andrea Brachfeld: Networking

24

Musical Life Partners – Ragan Whiteside

26

Montclair Women’s Big Band

36

Cover Story: Gayelynn McKinney

45

Healthcare in America

47

Opportunities in the Arts

49

Sandra Kaye: Jazz Vocalist in Asia

50

Lady C: Shanghai Musicwoman

60

Carmen Bradford: Basie’s Girl

68

Gail Jhonson & Jazz in Pink

7 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Don't Tell a Man. Tell a Woman!

By Nika Rejto This article reflects my struggles and those of all women in the arts who must prove their worthiness and talent to secure a job that a man will most likely get. Women are still struggling for equality and respect! In the field of music, we are objectified, belittled, and taken advantage of with lower wages.

Let's not forget the sexism that runs rampant in schools and the work place.

As a classically-trained flutist turned jazz musician, I have woven those two genres together in this composition, integrating the old, the new, and the unknown, reflecting a positive change regardless of race, nationality, gender, or beliefs. Record companies insist on an artist being in one category. I am a musician, first and foremost. Many rivers of styles flow into who I am and that is what makes an artist – individuality - regardless of birth as a man or a woman.

I believe women are passed over in jazz far more often than in classical or rock. I know what it is to prove myself as talented and worthy, and to put up with the hypocrisy and mistreatment experienced in schools and the workplace at the hands of men. It is a nowin situation.

When I was asked if I was "good" and I replied, "Yes," then I was considered cocky. If I answered ”No”, then, I would not be taken seriously.

Men have said to me, "I heard you from the back room. I thought it was a man playing!"

I thought to myself, “Why would he think women could not play like a man?”

Therefore, I repeat, "Don't tell a man. Tell a woman." This is a powerful statement to take women musicians seriously.

Nika is the Vice President of the Board of Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. She resides in Concord, California.

Spring 2019 - 8

SIX KEYS TO SUCCESS For women musicians

WIJSF was founded in March 2007 by Dr. Joan Cartwright whose experience as a 40-year veteran of the stage led to her understanding that women musicians were severely marginalized in the male-dominated music industry. This awareness led Dr. Cartwright to pursue her doctorate in business administration/ marketing that revealed, over six years of research, data collection, and writing, that women could succeed by using six essential business skills:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Branding Marketing Networking Teamwork Negotiation Accounting

This section features submissions from members of WIJSF, Inc. to provide insight into the ways in which these women reached higher levels of success in their music businesses. Each skill is previewed from excerpts of Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright.

9 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

1 - BRANDING [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 40-41]

Branding is an important entrepreneurial skill for musicians to embrace. Khan (2009) held that a strong corporate identity assures a competitive edge. Corporate branding requires greater focus within the organization. Successful corporate marketing requires planning to take advantage of opportunities joined with core values while considering internal activities to ensure cohesion and consistency. A firm’s most valuable asset is a recognizable brand that consumers trust and desire. A company’s mission can attract loyal customers and supporters.

The brand symbolizes the corporate values and its activities, not just what it sells. Strong brands generate growth and profitability. CEOs garner customer loyalty when they strategize to make their brand functional through emotional values that promise satisfaction (Gielens, 2012). Band leaders have the same charge to grow their fan base through brand recognition. Music organizations that brand themselves attract supporters who buy into the mission.

For Khan (2009), a brand is a bundle of benefits that distinguishes it from competitors for consumers. Usually, the bundle includes physical attributes and product features like the logo, packaging, trademark, and performance characteristics. The intangible attributes include associations that consumers have with the product and perceptions of its reliability or other augmentations like customer support. Every successful musical entrepreneur is the actual brand and, as in any firm, the importance of the company brand and the position of the CEO toward branding and communicating to the marketplace the product, name, and brand personality is paramount.

When consumers communicate through symbols such as a logo, the logo becomes a part of their self-image and identity. In music, a band’s culture shapes brand identity.

Musicians can be branded as solo artists or as a group that performs a specific genre of music like jazz, bluegrass, or heavy metal. Cross-over musicians run the risk of blurring their brand. But crossing over to other genres can expand their audiences. The musician should understand that his or her company’s clear vision, mission, philosophy, and unique corporate culture require insightful corporate brand management.

Spring 2019 - 10

11 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Brand Story TIME For all the excitement and opportunity of modern life, there’s not enough time to enjoy it as we strive to fit everything in. Your time is precious, so, to liberate the luxury of time, we created a space where you can go with the flow and where your time is well-spent.

• •

We offer the time and space for you to linger throughout the day.

We never place restrictions on your time or try to rush you. You define your experience and how long you stay, eat, drink, work, and share.

SPACE Ours is a space where every detail is considered. You can relax over a light bite or a coffee in the lounge, enjoy late night drinks at the bar, or indulge in fine food in our restaurant. Influenced by the elements, it inspires all-day dining experiences that nourish, comfort, and awaken your soul - all delivered with a refined simplicity and relaxed attitude.

• Different areas cater to different needs. We adapt to your needs as the day passes with a sense of easy flow.

• Our feature bar offers amazing cocktails throughout the day and night.

• Our lounge and outside areas provide space to work, relax, and socialise in an easy-going atmosphere.

DINING & DRINKING Inspired by the garden of Italy, our fresh food and generous spirit use only the finest ingredients. From small plates to sharing platters, we take the best of the Italian approach to food and give it a contemporary, luxurious edge to create simply delicious dishes. With a generous spirit, our drinks cover the elegant classics and our signature serves that offer a global outlook on an Italian attitude designed to be sipped alone or paired with food.

• The menu is adapted to the seasons, using fresh ingredients, and inspired by what is seasonally abundant.

• Italian-inspired dishes are served across brunch, lunch, and evening menus.

• Our extensive cocktail menu offers drinks served in fine crystal glasses.

BACKGROUND & CONTEXT: We’re not an Italian restaurant but • • • • • • • • • • •

We want to be an antidote to hectic ‘always on’ 24/7 modern lifestyles.

Time is precious, and we want people to take back control of their time and not feel rushed by anyone.

Every detail considered, we take an ‘easy luxury’ approach, celebrating craft and curation of experiences. When you look closer at any element, you see the consideration that has gone into it from colour and materials to scent and flow, through the space.

Influenced by the elements, we designed a space that appeals to all the senses, where you see the outdoors indoors, are inspired by material combinations, and feel like you stepped out of your busy world.

All-day dining experiences with more than just food. Although the food is delicious, this is an experience on your terms, whatever the time of day.

Nourish, comfort, or awaken your soul with food, drink, and company that impact how you feel. We offer an abundance of choice with something for everyone, no matter what your soul needs.

Experience elegant simplicity and relaxed attitude with our small plates and sharing platters. Our space does not rely on traditional formal luxury but one that is more discreet, accessible, and timeless.

Inspired by the garden of Italy, we’re inspired by this beautiful region of Europe known for its diversity and abundance. This inspiration comes through in our attitude, approach, and fresh food.

Small plates and sharing platters were inspired by the Italian way of relaxed eating together.

Our contemporary and luxurious edge taken from the best are transferred to a modern, global consumer.

Global outlook with Italian attitude in the signature cocktails that reflect the perspectives of the world as you look out from Abruzzo in different directions.

22, 181 Lane, Tai Cang Lu, Huang Pu Dist, Shanghai, China +86 21 3331 0106 Spring 2019 - 12

Erin Peng, Glenda McQueen, Chef John Grazioso, Squash Surprise and Gorgonzola Gnocci, Manager Robert Stubbing and Dr. Joan Cartwright

时间 现代生活充满精彩和机遇，但随之而来的忙碌让我们几乎没时间静心享受。时间弥足 珍贵，为了让你宝贵的时间能够换取同样美好的体验，同食匠心设计了你现在置身的 空间。在这里，全新的休闲餐饮让时间变慢，让你可以放慢脚步，尽享当下的每一 刻。

空间 在同食体贴入微的现代空间设计中，你既可以慵懒地躺在沙发里享受一杯咖啡配小 食，也能在深夜的吧台边惬意小酌，或邀上一群好友享受一顿精致大餐。不同的元素 在这里碰撞，激发了同食特有的餐饮体验——你会发现这里的全日美食除了愉悦味蕾， 更能唤醒和滋养心身，以一种优雅又简约的方式，让你得到全方位的放松。

餐饮 灵感来自果蔬缤纷的意大利花园，我们只选用新鲜的食物和真挚的热情作为原料。无 论是小点或分享盘，同食在秉承地道意大利美食制作工艺的同时融入更多精致现代的 元素来烹饪多种惊艳美味。这里的酒品除众多优雅经典款外更有餐厅独创的招牌特饮 系列，既可单饮又能与菜品搭配，让你以意大利特有的方式，开怀享受环球臻味。

13 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

2 - MARKETING [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 41-42, 44, 47, and 54]

A discussion of employing an agent to brand an artist or band can be painful for musicians who lack faith in outside sources for their promotion and marketing. The history of the music industry has too many horror stories of agents stealing the earnings, killing the careers, and sidelining acts like football players on the bench. However, companies seeking to brand themselves “involve not only the brand manager but individuals with expertise in the creation, development, and management of the images and symbols to which consumers become and remain attached, as they become the brands they create themselves” (Bastos, 2012, p. 3) musical agent is the artist’s brand manager who knows how to usher the artist into venues that are beneficial to a successful career. However, the experience of most jazz musicians is that agents want to get paid for doing nothing or they are intimidated by the people who operate venues that feature jazz music (Kubacki, 2008). Often, finding work is easier than finding an efficient agent.

The study by Ataman et al. (2010) addressed the data and modeling requirements that music service providers could use to affect record sales, aside from what their label may or may not do. One best business practice was to price the CD competitively with other artists. A CD’s price should be affordable and consistent with other CDs in the genre. These researchers concluded that “discounting plays a largely tactical role by generating strong bumps in the short run, but it has adverse effects as a strategic long-term marketing instrument” (Ataman et al., 2010, p. 879). Consequently, a reduction in the price of a musical product may reduce the value of the product and the musicians.

Few women in jazz have anything close to the notoriety of present-day pop stars. Jazz bassist Esperanza Spaulding has been a rising star, since she appeared at the White House in a special tribute to Stevie Wonder in 2009 and, again, for International Jazz Day on April 30, 2016. Jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington worked on The Arsenio Hall Show band in the late 1980s and 1990s. Both women are in Carrington’s band The Mosaic Project that produced a Grammywinning CD in 2011, with pianist Geri Allen, and notable jazz vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater and Dianne Reeves.

Many music service providers pride themselves on publicity and believe that bad press is better than no press at all. Bad press can be detrimental to the manufacturing mogul with a high media profile created by expensive advertisement campaigns. Nevertheless, the mogul’s photo in the newspaper, captioned for improper behavior, could boost his or her profile. Likewise, musicians gain notoriety from getting their photograph posted in print even if it is for some misdemeanor. However, maintaining a favorable image in the public’s eye is both advisable and commendable. This research study identified fruitful ways that musicians can attract attention through the marketing mix of publicity and advertisement.

Spring 2019 - 14

The CD cover for a musician’s music is a form of advertisement to attract buyers.

The artist’s photograph is the easiest identifier in the huge music market.

15 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Marketing The ARTS

By Mimi Johnson The arts industry is one of the hardest industries to become successful in. There are so many creative people on this planet and you must create a certain kind of creative niche, a different sound or look in order for people to be interested in you.

When starting a career in any business; marketing, advertising and promotions are some of the biggest challenges. You must be able to create integrated marketing campaigns that will reach your targeted audience.

Social media is one of the biggest platforms for promoting your products and services. I always suggest getting a website so that people will be able to go directly to your information and also people respect your business more when they see your online presence. Merchandise is very important and when you present your music or any kind of art it is a great positioning to be able to have that art available for sale on location during your events and concerts. This also means that you must have methods of payments that will be convenient for the customers to purchase your products such as accepting major debit and credit cards, PayPal, CashApp, Square, etc.

Going to different networking events can help but is not always promising. If you are a people person or have a person that is on your team that is an out going individual; going to different networking parties in your industry and passing out your flyers and business cards will help you increase your profile in that area or market. This would be considered as a grassroots platform and usually this is one of the best platforms for advertising and promotion because people get to meet you face-to-face.

Emailing and texting is a great way to let the people that already know you have information about any concert shows, new releases, and event parties that you would like for them to attend on your behalf. Also, asking your circle to bring other people is definitely a great way for more people to get to know who you are. An effective way to attract new fans is asking people you know to bring two people with them and offering them a free entry ticket, CD, or other product of your creations. People love “free� stuff!

Creating a budget to tour and travel to different parts of the world to promote your music and art is very essential because promoting in more than one location willl allow more people to know your works better. Always keep pushing toward your goals which is to create art and continue to share with the world everyday.

Your Servant in The Arts

www.MimiJohnsonTheTripleThreat.info www.mjtvnetwork.com www.wijsf.com Spring 2019 - 16

Donna Singer Donna Singer is a first call vocalist with an effervescent spirit and impeccable phrasing, there is certainly no lack of talent. ~ Brent Black, Critical Jazz Destiny, Moment of Jazz is a fine outing by jazz vocalist Donna Singer. Her time is clear, and her pitch is focused. ~ H. Allen Williams, Jazz Times Donna is an electrifying and dazzling jazz show-stopper.

She graduated from the New York Academy of Theatrical Arts, with postgraduate studies at Juilliard. Her European concerts include dates in Paris, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy and Wales. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Recital Hall in Lincoln Center, Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell and The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.

Hold up. Stop! They say that’s me, but I don’t feel that’s me. I’m just Donna Singer, a girl from upstate New York who just happens to be good at singing. Who am I? When did I know that singing would be me - yes, be me? It’s who I am and what I am. It’s what defines me. My mother said I was humming lullabies at 1½. My father said, at age 4, I was singing with words. I guess you could say I’ve been singing all my life.

With her sixth CD, Feeling The Jazz, Donna Singer hit the ground running. Her CD launch party at The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. was a sell out. She has engaged audiences in many U.S. cities including Phoenix, Miami and Nashville.

I’ve been married for 22 years to composer, Roy Singer. Now the cat is out of the bag, Singer is my real last name. We lived in up-state New York and were the Music Ministers of First Baptist Church of Monticello.

I played the piano and Roy played the organ. Being in charge of 3 choirs was challenging and loads of fun.

Do I miss it? Yeah baby! But we moved to Florida five years ago and we’ve never looked back.

Donna’s festival appearances include the Nebraska International Jazz Festival, Bethany College Jazz Festival in Kansas and the Saratoga Arts Festival in New York. She sang the National Anthem to an enormous crowd for the Miami Dolphins. As a voting member of the Recording Academy, Donna and her husband will be attending the 2019 Grammy Award Ceremony in Los Angeles.

I now sing with the Boynton Beach Concert Band and the Broward Symphonic Band--Both over 90 members. Also, the Now and Then Swing Band, 18 piece jazz orchestra. I’m happy to be in Florida. Will we stay? Yes! Why? Because, yesterday, I auditioned for a restaurant gig and I didn’t get it. Guess what?

Today, I auditioned for a restaurant gig and I got it. Territory is key and mine is now South Florida.

"We really love what she’s doing here . . . sets Singer apart from most other oldies jazz divas. Don’t call yourself a jazz vocal fan if you don’t dig this hot stuff." ~ Chris Spector, Midwest Record Contact: 561-303-9581 * jazz@donna-singer.com * www.donna-singer.com

17 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

www.montclairwomensbigband.com

Spring 2019 - 18

3 - NETWORKING [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 54-55]

Aside from branding and advertisement, artists become more visible, when they network in public forums and collaborate with high-profile celebrities and music management experts. For example, “Martha Henderson of City National's entertainment division, manages a team of nearly 200 in offices in Beverly Hills, New York, Nashville, and Atlanta, and oversees more than $4.5 billion in loans and $8 billion in deposits� (Anonymous, 2014b). Networking with people like Henderson can be advantageous for women jazz musicians looking for touring opportunities.

Similar to the de Klerk and Saayman (2012) study, this research study showed how tapping into multiple business opportunities through networking and teamwork with professionals in other fields increased performance opportunities for musicians. One such field is travel and tourism that requires entertainment and background music that women in jazz could provide if the staff of a travel company were familiar with their music. These companies look for holiday gifts for their clients. CDs, books, and T-Shirts are products that women in jazz can invest in to promote their music and band. For example, a catering company purchased 500 CDs from Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. as holiday gifts for their clients. The only requirement was that the catering company’s logo appeared on the actual CDs. This transaction, negotiated by a WIJSF Board member with a colleague in a business networking group, garnered income and introduced 500 new people to the non-profit organization and the ten women composers featured on the compilation CD.

19 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Networking in The Music Business

By Andrea Brachfeld

You have gone to music school to learn your craft. You know your theory back and forth. You accomplished your goal of 20,000 hours of practice. You’re ready to go out there and work!

Now, for the intense left-brain task ahead Networking!

Networking means a lot of things to a lot of people. My concept is to get out there, meet people, and perform so people can hear me. Jazz musicians intertwine their selfworth and self-confidence with how well they play and how much work they get. Who they perform with is also important.

Presentation is very important. Being able to play well is great. But you create resistance in your career if you do not get along with people. In the music industry, people talk a lot. To be recommended for a performance entails significant criteria. First, people need to know you can play your instrument. Then, they need to know you are cool and congenial. They need to know that you will be on time, that your equipment is self-sustainable, that your attitude is positive, and you are easy to get along with.

What is your vibe? Do you adapt to change easily?

Left-brain skills are at work when you meet musicians and you need to communicate about collaborating. In the past, you had business cards. Now, you need a cellphone to exchange contacts. After you connect, you should contact people just to say “Hello.”

Most business is conducted with people who see and know you. You must stay visible. You are your own business entity and how you conduct business is directly related to your personality and sense of organization. Follow-up is the most important skill to hone. I do not hire musicians who do not return my phone call right away.

In New York City, there are a multitude of musicians but very few meet the criteria I need to hire someone. Besides being able to play and getting to the gig on time, they need to be nice people. Also, they need to put business in perspective and be able to separate their personal needs and professional needs.

When I am networking and find myself in a position where I’m being hit on, I sit back and analyze the situation to see if it’s worth dealing with the contact or not. I have to feel a level of respect from the person. If that is not there, I move on.

Spring 2019 - 20

My Musical Family I have been in situations where speaking my mind lost me a job when someone is insistent in a personal way and I’m not interested. It’s helpful to know that clearing the negative allows for the positive to come in. Be brave my friends!

On the topic of networking, it is important to go out and perform as much as possible. Be aware of the etiquette of playing jazz. If you are new to the people and the venue, do not play 15 choruses. Play two or three, make your statement, and allow others to play. If you sound good taking one chorus, playing 14 will not impress anyone. Have a song list to choose a tune or choose a blues quickly because quibbling will leave a bad first impression. Saxophonist Frank Wess told me that he learned one tune a week to add 52 tunes to his repertoire each year.

Pay attention to everything and everyone around you and be gracious. Your goal is to share your music with those on stage and with the audience. The Jazz audience is very particular because they are attuned to the music and are as sensitive as you are. Be appreciative and humble. You never know who will be in the audience and who might be considering you for a performance. This is what happens when you network.

If you are contacted for a performance, you must know how to negotiate your fee. The rule of thumb is to ask for their budget since the customer could quote a price much higher than what you are thinking. Whatever the budget is, work with the customer. They are the most integral part of your network.

Your website should include press photos, biographies of different lengths, quotes, and reviews of your CDs, and a list of past and upcoming performances. The website is your calling card, an electronic press kit (EPK) that gives promoters insight into who you are and the kind of performance you give. You can have a business card, brochure, or CD to hand them but make sure the website is there. Good luck my friends and above all, have fun!

21 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

[Excerpt: Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. p. 67.]

An important aspect of keeping lines of communication open for successful networking is associating with other people in one’s field of endeavor. For musicians, there is the Federation of American Musicians, also referred to as the Musician’s Union with chapters in every state around the country.

However, few women jazz musicians have found support through this organization. In fact, 13 of 20 said they had been a member of the New York Musicians Union. But they did not see the union doing anything great for the musicians (13, Appendix P).

Like promotion of any product or service, word-of-mouth provides people with information on why they should use a particular service. According to 13, who believed that the Musician’s Union should do more to advocate for cost-of-living increases in salaries, musicians do not say, “This was a great experience, and they stick up for our rights. They are pushing for us to get on board with 21st century fees being paid to musicians."

Amazing Musicwomen Ensemble

Dr. Joan Cartwright, Geetu Hinduja, Roberta DeMuro Jus’ Cynthia, Mimi Johnson, Kim Jenkins May 9, 2019 - The Art House, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Spring 2019 - 22

4 - TEAMWORK [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 54-56]

Another important activity of entrepreneurs is developing a team. For women in jazz, it is imperative to determine which musicians, male and female, will work comfortably with women musicians. It takes some level of skill to ascertain the willingness of people to collaborate. Atorough and Martin (2012) provided interesting design, methodology, and approach to research conflict between managers and their disposition to collaborate in marketing a destination. The researchers used the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode (TKCM) with a discussion of the assertive versus cooperative skills that managers can use to collaborate with tourism stakeholders to evaluate the collaboration skills of their subjects. This research study applied the findings of Atorough and Martin (2012) to women musicians and how they collaborated and networked with other musicians and organizations that hired them.

Musicians balance the dichotomy of collaboration and competition, which can be a variable for success, mediocrity, or failure. Teamwork was an important part of collaborating. Every band is a team. But the ability to benefit from the skills of others, outside the ensemble, like website and graphics designers, social media experts, radio personalities, cultural journalists, and event planners requires musicians to work with other professionals as a team. Often, bartering comes into play. A website or graphic designer may provide service in exchange for concert tickets or logo placement on a band’s website, CD cover, or concert poster. A large part of the music industry is marketing music CDs with attractive artwork.

Therefore, building a team to promote a band in print and on social media is productive, lucrative, and valuable (Bains, 2014; Robinson, & Stubberud, 2014; Maschke & zu Knyphausen-AufseĂ&#x;, 2012).

23 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

My Musical Life Partner

By Ragan Whiteside The day I rang that doorbell, my life changed forever.

It was a warm evening in June and I was going to my first post-conservatory recording session. I was meeting Bob Baldwin at the studio, hoping he would take me under his wing and help me make the transition from classical to jazz. Flute in hand, I walked up to the front door, willing myself to appear cool, and rang the bell. I heard footsteps, then the door opened. Standing there was Dennis Johnson, producer, engineer, songwriter, studio owner, and the man who, 11 years later, would become my husband.

All my cool went out the window. After my brilliant opening line of “Umm,� Dennis introduced himself with his deep voice and edgy, Yonkers, NY, swagger. He led me upstairs to the studio. Twelve hours later, I left the studio with a tape of the radio jingle I played on and a new passion. I vowed to become a studio rat and learn everything I could from Dennis and Bob. That was 20 years ago. That session sparked a partnership that spans the professional and the personal. Quietly, Dennis and I focused on our craft, composing songs, woodshedding our respective skills - his mixing, mine flute - releasing albums, and learning everything we could about the ever-changing music business. For a time, we were ships in the night, working multiple day jobs and saving for costs related to recording, manufacturing, marketing, and a house where we could make as much

Spring 2019 - 24

music as we wanted. All that hustling paid off and we set out to build the perfect studio in our new home by ourselves.

Our first challenge was floor glue that could not be used on a wall. But we found our rhythm and, a month later, the studio was finished. With my room for practice and composition upstairs and the studio downstairs, we were able to work on music at the same time. Dennis created a track and sent it up to me for a melody. I created a track and sent it down to him to add a bridge. When the time came, we recorded the song in T-shirts and sweats. Dennis mixed that song. I prepped the next one. We found a great workflow. Then, the children came.

The day I rang that doorbell, my life changed forever. I vowed to become a studio rat and learn everything I could from Dennis and Bob!

The children made us even more efficient and creative. We became masters at time management. We planned blocks of time with a babysitter to maximize every moment in the studio. We knew that if we didn’t get it done then, whether it was writing, recording, or practicing, it would not get done. That type of urgency allowed us to ignore distractions and create razor-sharp focus.

Our time management skills enabled us to complete projects efficiently. If anyone says that your music will stop when you have kids, tell them to shut their mouth and keep it moving. Where there is a will and a great partner by your side, there is a way.

25 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Ellen Seeling & Jean Fineberg Lead The Montclair Women’s Big Band The Montclair Women's Big Band was formed in 1997, with the help of my long-time partner, saxophonist and composer Jean Fineberg. I could not have done it without Jean. While celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band in 2017, I reflected on why we put the band together, what we accomplished, and what we want the future to look like. It is exciting.

Jean and I met on an ISIS recording date in 1975. ISIS was the first women's "progressive rock" band with a horn section like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago. The band was based in New York City, but we were in New Orleans to do the second album produced by the legendary Allen Toussaint, who contributed compositions and played the piano.

This was a life changing experience for me, as a graduating student at Indiana University.

Jean and I became the horn section, and, over the next 10 years, we were featured in the bands and recordings of ISIS, Laura Nyro, Chic, Sister Sledge, Cornell Dupree, Latin Fever, and other groups. In 1980, we started a jazz fusion band, DEUCE, featuring Jean's compositions. DEUCE played all over the country for 15 years and released two recordings. We lived in Hell's Kitchen, until we moved to an easier life in California.

We loved New York, but it was intense, and we wanted a change.

After working together as a horn section for over 20 years and founding a successful jazz ensemble, I wanted something more community-oriented. DEUCE was not an allwomen's band. As I grew older, I became more radicalized about the status of women instrumentalists in commercial music. Having performed with jazz, pop, disco, rock and salsa bands, I was deeply concerned with gender discrimination that I experienced in genres and how it affected women as we aged. I wanted to find a Basie-style jazz big band for women only with 17 pieces to accomplish more than playing gigs. I wanted to showcase the large community of outstanding women jazz players in the San Francisco Bay Area. I wanted to have a great big band that provided visibility, employment, networking opportunities, and a training ground for younger women coming up on the music business. Also, I wanted to showcase the original compositions of women composers and arrangers, locally and nationally.

Spring 2019 - 26

Leading a seven-piece jazz band was entirely different from organizing and operating a 17piece big band. There were more complications with arrangements, rehearsals, contracting players, meeting payroll, finding rehearsal space and work. My secret weapon was Jean. She knew sax players. I knew brass players. We were fortunate to have worked with world class rhythm sections in New York. We knew who to look for there. We had twice as many contacts, twice as much experience, and the advantages of two heads, which were better than one. We bounced ideas off each other and shared suggestions about players and repertoire. We researched potential sources of work and shared management styles. “Good cop, bad cop� proved as useful as having two people keep band members focused on learning and polishing the ensemble. We had double the energy with two of us finding performance opportunities to get the group off the ground.

For 20 years, Jean and I have performed with this wonderful band. Musicians have come and gone, while only a few are original members. Our oldest member is 72 and our youngest is 24.

We played for the Grammys in Los Angeles, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., at the greater Bay Area jazz festivals, countless clubs, outdoor community events, fundraisers, parties, and at industrial and political rallies. We have seen the women's jazz scene flourish and grow. We formed smaller groups within the big band. We have big fun at our shows and the audiences love seeing that.

The Montclair Women’s Big Band is tight, and it has all been so worth it. But we are not done.

Currently, we are working on a new CD, Women's Work, featuring original compositions and arrangements by members of the band, Jean and I envision more years of performing and community building. It has been a big part of our lives and our partnership in leading this band made it possible.

27 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

5 - NEGOTIATION [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 114-115]

Since the turn of the century, women jazz musicians have become more visible on the jazz scene. Yet, the male-dominated environment remains highly challenging for women that fail to educate themselves about the business of music that includes branding, marketing, product promotions and sales, fee negotiation, leadership, teamwork, and networking. Every person that embraces musicianship as a career should use these business skills. But, in the United States, women musicians, especially in the jazz genre, have not been properly educated in the business of music. These challenges and practices were the focus of this study.

Although researchers have explored the phenomenon of the challenges faced by women musicians, very little prior research has shown that women jazz musicians lack the necessary business skills to succeed. The benefit gained from this research study will be utilized to show young women jazz musicians the importance of business education in this $15.5 billion music industry in the United States (Anonymous, 2016). This qualitative study involved interviews with a sample of 20 women jazz musicians to ascertain their level of business acumen. The study argued that the marginalization of women jazz composers and instrumentalists occurs because they lack strong negotiating skills.

The data gathered showed that: 1. Women musicians earn less than male musicians (Adkins-Chiti & Karabuda, 2015).

2. Women musicians benefit from workshops and courses about business practices of entrepreneurs (Anonymous, 2014).

3. Venues, organizations, and private entities that hire musicians with public funding create more balance and equity in the male-dominated music industry by including women musicians, consciously (Cartwright, 2012).

Spring 2019 - 28

In her TED talk, “Why we have too few women leaders”, Sheryl Sandberg (2010) regretted that women do not negotiate for themselves in the workforce. A study in the last two years of people entering the workforce out of college showed that 57 percent of boys . . . are negotiating their first salary and only seven percent of women are negotiating theirs (Sandberg, 2010).

Very little scholarly literature addressed this imbalance. “Creative work may have particular implications for female freelance musicians but, hitherto, very little critical attention has been paid to their experiences” (Armstrong, 2013).

According to a survey taken in the UK, women make up 32.2% of musicindustry-related jobs, earn less, give up their careers sooner, and experience more barriers to progression than their male counterparts” (Armstrong, 2013, pp. 299300). The unstructured lives of women musicians resulted in a call to create with no thought of remuneration. However, many women eked out a living from musical production and performance despite advice from naysayers to get a day job or quit before their lives pass away before their eyes. The calling to be a musician is a miracle that few experience. Time spent developing talent, whether with an instrument, vocal expression, or composition outweighs the rewards for many women musicians (Armstrong, 2013).

Those who pursue careers in jazz often find themselves under-compensated.

However, many women in jazz managed to stay true to their art and achieved a standard of living that was comfortable. Some travel a lot or live outside of their state or country of origin to make a living. Others engage in musical performance while putting others, including male counterparts to work. Musicianship is a balancing act that takes know-how, determination, and perseverance. Like any other profession, there are tricks to the trade that women in jazz who are successful have mastered. Like any business owner, the successful musical entrepreneur needs adequate business acumen. The question in this study was: How did women jazz musicians learn business skills?

29 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Purchase Dr. Cartwright’s complete dissertation at www.lulu.com/spotlight/divajc Soft cover: $19.99 Hard cover: $109.99 (Reg.) 25% Discount with WIJSF Membership upon request for Hard cover book, only!

Spring 2019 - 30

6 - ACCOUNTING [Excerpt from Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing by Dr. Joan Cartwright. pp. 43, 116]

Jusoh et al. (2011) identified training needs in areas that entrepreneurs find difficult like creativity and innovation, sources of business finance, accounting, and financial management.

That study confirmed that education enhanced performance. Entrepreneurs face five challenges: (a) international competition from the effects of globalization and liberation; (b) transformation from a natural resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy or keconomy; (c) the potential of the internet to connect regions, urban strata - rural areas, and ethnic groups; (d) claims of increased Total Factor Productivity (TFP); and (e) the decrease of world economic growth in the coming decades.

Intertwined with Jusoh’s research was the study, Defining the Role of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in the Economy (Anonymous, 2000) that showed how knowledgeable entrepreneurs improve their business performance and compete in the global market. They invest in the flexible and intangible fields of endeavor that can affect competition through higher professionalism, intellectual property, and useful communication technology skills to attract new clients. The conclusion was that entrepreneurs would only excel to the extent of their level of skills, knowledge, and training in the global market. Considering the nature of music production, traveling to foreign countries is a plus for women jazz musicians because it builds notoriety back home. Seeking and negotiating performance contracts abroad has been the boon of male jazz musicians and female jazz singers for over a century. Aggressive global promotion should be at the top of the list for every woman in jazz.

Study interviewee #13 reported that, in her undergraduate studies, she took Introduction to Music Business and a minor in Business. “I had to take business courses like Accounting and some basic economics just to have a better-rounded sense of how finance works in the music industry.” Working at American Express taught her about Zig Ziglar. “There were certain certifications I had to have, for American Express that helped me learn about business and how to utilize it in my own personal music business.”

H A R P I S T S 31 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

A lucrative means of earning for musicians is through public funding of the arts or grants from municiple, county, and state cultural divisions. Drafting grant proposals is a specialized field that few musicians have the time, expertise, or willingness to engage in. Grants require you to: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Identify a target market such as K-12 students.

Create a program to educate that market.

Draft a budget for performers (solo, duo, trio, quartet, or orchestra).

Execute contracts.

Schedule performances.

Communicate with media by designing a flier, ad, or public service announcement.

Lead the ensemble with repertoire selections at rehearsals and performances.

Follow up with accounting and reporting on the disbursal of funds.

In April and May 2019, WIJSF partnered with Old Dillard Foundation to present Amazing Musicwomen to the Fort Lauderdale community, through a grant from Broward Cultural Division, proving that partnerships with other community organizations can be lucrative for musicians. Thanks to our members Dr. Denise St. Patrick and Grace Kewl-Durfey for partnering with us.

Grace Kewl, Pamela Earle Smith, Dr. Denise St. Patrick-Bell, Irv Minney, Jus’ Cynthia, Dr. Nadine Hankerson, Dr. Joan Cartwright (seated) May 9, 2019, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Spring 2019 - 32

Pilot Studies This research study had two pilot studies: 1. A review of 60 of 267 interviews with women composers on Musicwoman Radio (2008-2015) that showed that women in jazz that composed and published music and engaged in promotional activities fared better than those unfamiliar with music composition and marketing (Appendix D).

2. A review of required business courses offered by music departments at 20 colleges and universities (Appendix E).

(See p. 34).

www.blogtalkradio.com/musicwoman

I love jewelry. It accessorizes your life and speaks to your individuality.

With that in mind, I started Paparazzi Accessories. I was searching for a home-based business that provides a stressfree, balanced work life that adds an extra stream of income.

I found my niche.

You can too! ASK me how!

https://paparazziaccessories.com/88576

33 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Appendix E: Pilot Study 2 – Music Schools Required Business Courses 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

University of California Santa Cruz University of San Diego San Diego University of Florida Gainesville Full Sail University Winter Park Florida State University Tallahassee Broward College Davie Barry University Miami Lynn University Boca Raton Florida International University Miami Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Nova Southeastern University Davie Indiana University Purdue Fort Wayne Berklee School of Music Boston Harvard University Cambridge Michigan State University College of Music East Lansing Midwest University Wentzville Juilliard New York New York University New York Curtis Institute Philadelphia Midwestern State University Wichita Falls

CA CA FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL IN MA MA MI MO NY NY PA TX

Y Y Y Y Y N N N Y Y N Y Y N Y N N Y Y Y

Pilot Study 2 showed that 13 of the 20 schools surveyed require business courses for music students, today. Even in 2016, some schools still did not require students to take business courses. These findings revealed the importance of developing guidelines for how women jazz musicians access information, associations, courses, and workshops to enhance their business skills.

Spring 2019 - 34

Seeking and negotiating performance contracts abroad has been the boon of male jazz musicians and female jazz singers for over a century.

Aggressive global promotion should be at the top of the list for every musicwoman. ~ DrDivaJC

www.ladygotchops.com

35 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

COVER STORY

Interview with Gayelynn McKinney

By Dr. Joan Cartwright DrJC: What brought you to music as a child?

GM: Both of my parents were musicians. My mother, Gwen Shepherd McKinney, was a vocalist and pianist. My father, Harold McKinney, was a pianist. I was born in it. I grew up listening to music my entire life. I grew up waking up to it, going to bed to it. [Laughs]. So, honestly, I don't know what else I would have done. There are some other interests I had. But music was a strong influence in my life.

DrJC: How did you come to the drums?

GM: Well, that is a mystery. My mother said I was very busy even when she was pregnant with me. I tended to move around a lot. I guess I was born to do it. When I was two years old, I would beat on the furniture, even at the table with my knife and fork. I think that's when my mother bought me a drum kit. She thought, "She's going to beat on something else besides my furniture." So, they bought me a drumset when I was two years old and that began my journey.

(Continued on p. 38).

Spring 2019 - 36

DrJC: What about other instruments?

GM: When I started school, we had music from kindergarten, elementary, to high school. It is sad that music is missing, especially in inner city schools these days.

I started, like most of my classmates did, on the recorder. Then, the recorder turned into a clarinet, by the time I got to elementary school. Eventually, that clarinet turned into a saxophone. Clarinet was cool. I didn't dislike the clarinet. It just wasn't my favorite thing to play. So, one day, when I was looking at my music folder, I saw this shiny, gold instrument that attracted my attention, immediately. It was a saxophone.

One of my Dad's friends let me borrow his tenor saxophone. I quickly realized that it was too big for me at that time. So, I switched over to alto. When I got to 4th grade, my father gifted me an alto saxophone. I played alto saxophone from 4th grade to 12th grade in the concert and marching band. So, my other instrument is saxophone. Also, I play piano, not enough to go out and gig and do shows but, enough to compose music.

DrJC: Did you study music theory in school or privately?

GM: I went to Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and that's where I learned a lot about music theory and jazz theory. So, yes, I did get my Bachelor of Music degree at Oakland University.

DrJC: Do you compose, perform, and record your own music?

GM: Yes, I do. Right now, I have a CD out with new arrangements I did of my father's music. It’s called “McKinFolk The New Beginning” and it was released a couple of months ago. I do have a CD of my own music called, “It’s About Time” that came out in 2006 and I will be recording a new project of my music in the fall.

DrJC: How many songs have you composed?

GM: I was just sitting down today to decide which of my compositions I would record on the new project. Possibly, 40 songs I've composed Some of them have been recorded with the group Straight Ahead, some on my solo project, and some have not been recorded yet. By the time I get done with the new stuff coming into my mind, I will have composed about 100 songs.

DrJC: Do you have a publishing company with ASCAP or BMI? GM: Yes. It's called Beatstix Music. The X is there because, when I get my logo together, I intend to make that X two sticks.

DrJC: Do you have a song book?

GM: No. I don't have a song book yet.

DrJC: Good. I encourage all of our members to get their music in a song book. That's rare. The only women I know with a song book are Carol King, Basia, Carly Simon, Stevie Nicks, and I have a song book. I think Carmen Lundy put out a song book. Roberta Flack was working on one. But I haven't heard that it was published yet.

GM: Hopefully, she's ok because, I heard that she wasn't doing too good.

DrJC: What challenges have you faced in the male-dominated music industry and on a male-dominated instrument?

GM: Well, back in the day, it was very difficult to be a girl playing the drums.

People were saying that the Drums was an instrument only to be played by boys. I didn’t get so much flack from my Dad's peers. They were supportive. But it was my own peers that would scoff at me playing drums as a female. I will say that, one of the reasons why I kept playing was Terri Lyne Carrington. My father came home from New York one time, and he was all excited about the fact that he had seen another little girl playing the drums and that little girls (Continued on p. 39)

Spring 2019 - 38

was Terri Lyne Carrington. He told me about her and that gave me all the inspiration I needed to keep playing drums.

I told Terri Lyne this story too. Dad telling me about Terri, changed my decision to play drums instead of just sticking to the saxophone. Nowadays, I would say that we are moving forward and there's a whole lot more women that play drums. Still not as many as men but there are still some out there that are playing. But, unfortunately, there is still some sexism going on. For years, I wondered why I never got calls for some of the bigger gigs. People would come to town and they would always call these male drummers and they were good drummers, don't get me wrong, they were excellent drummers. But, I used to wonder how come I don't get those calls? I got a lot of calls for local and little stuff. I started to think, maybe I'm not as good of a drummer as I thought I was. Maybe my skills are not up to par. A friend of mine confided in me, (and he didn't even realize that he was telling me something) He said, the reason why I didn’t get a lot of those calls was because, I was female.

He said, "I don't know why these guys won't get you to do stuff. You can play."

And I said, "What do you mean?"

He said, "Well, you know, the guys would be like, oh, no, no, no, no. I don't want to get her."

And I said, "Thank you, that's wonderful to hear and I appreciate the fact that that's why you are hiring me."

Yeah, so there's still a lot of that happening in this male-dominated industry, especially jazz, very male-dominated. So, I just can't focus on that. I just have to keep pushing on and make my way through. That's all I can do.

DrJC: Right, because that will tear you down. Did your personal relationships conflict with your career? Do you have children?

GM: For years, I did not have children because, I was pursuing a music career. I figured children would not be advantageous for me to pursue a music career. I love kids.

I love having them around me. I like hanging out with young people. But I knew that in order to pursue a music career, I would not be able to have children. There are people that can do both and people that have done both. But, for me, I didn’t want to be a touring musician and have to leave my child all the time. So, I did not have any of my own. It wasn't until about 8 years ago that I ended up being a parent to an 8-yearold and a 15-year-old, who are now 16 and 22. But it's not like raising them from a baby. They were already halfway there so, it wasn't the same. Once I became a parent, it did not interfere with me being a working musician. Of course, you have to have a partner that is willing to help in that area.

And I said, "WHAT?!”

DrJC: So, you're married now?

These were people who I knew and thought they were friends of mine. I found out that they really had some issues about me being a woman playing the drums. I'm not going to lie. That hurt my feelings. That was really surprising to me. I found out that some of the gigs that came through I didn't get because, of being a women, not because I lacked skill. My friend who has been giving me wonderful opportunities said, "I like you because you can play."

GM: Yes. DrJC: Tell me about your experiences with Straight Ahead.

GM: Well, we came out at a time that was really unique for a female band to be together. There weren't many all-female bands back then. There had been groups before us like the group Alive, an all-female

39 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

band that came out in the seventies from California. Of course, everybody knows the Sweethearts of Rhythm from the forties.

But, in the nineties, I don't know of any that were out in the forefront like we were. It was an exciting experience. We got signed to Atlantic Records and we made three CDs on Atlantic Records. It was interesting because, sometimes, we would be on the road and I could tell that some of the sound guys were looking at us, sarcastically like, "Girls, what are they getting ready to do."

Then, after the show was over, they would treat us with great respect. The experience with Straight Aheadwas great. We had a great camaraderie. We just celebrated our 25th Anniversary with Regina Carter. It was amazing. Nothing changed. We went right back to doing what we had been doing 25 years ago, which was doing great collaborations. So, it has been a wonderful journey with Straight Ahead. And we're still going strong. We are getting ready to do a concert in Australia at the beginning of November. So, we haven't stopped performing together, yet.

DrJC: Has the personnel changed?

GM: The rhythm section is the same, the founding members, Marion Hayden, Alina Moor, and I, we are the same. In the front line, we have a guy in the band now, Yancy, who's been playing with us for about 10 years, now. Then, we have Kimberly Wright on vocals, who's been singing with us for about 15 years. We do different configurations but, Kym and Yancy, we perform the most with. However, from time to time, we may do different front lines, we may have trumpeter Ingrid Racine or, we may not have a vocalist and just be instrumental. But, most of the concerts we've done in the last 10 years, has involved Yancy and Kimberly on the front line.

DrJC: Do you mostly do straight ahead music or do you do original music?

Spring 2019 - 40

GM: We do some of everything these days.

I think that's why we've stayed viable because we've done everything from funk, contemporary jazz, traditional, Latin and originals. We do some of everything. We've been a very versatile band, over the years.

DrJC: How did you come to perform with the late, great Aretha Franklin and what was that experience like for you?

GM: Wow! That was amazing! That happened when a friend of mine, ( Ralphe Armstrong) reconnected me with her, after I did a performance with her in 2004. He told her that I would be able to handle it. I don't think Aretha knew I could handle playing R&B because, when I played with her in 2004, I played her jazz set. So, I was driving, on my way somewhere, and my phone rang. It came up “no name� and I usually do not answer those calls. So, I answered it and she said, "Gayelynn," and I said, "Yes," she sounded like my mother.

She said, "This is Aretha." I'm thinking, "Who?" So, I was quiet, and she said, "This is Aretha Franklin." I said, "Let me pull over." So, I found the quickest way to pull off the road. I said, "Hi, how ya doing?" She said, "Oh, I'm ok. Listen. I want you to learn these songs and we going to have rehearsal in a week or so. So, I want you to get these songs and learn them and I want you to go on the road with me." I said, "Wow. OK!" So, there began my journey in April 2016, and I played with her up until her last performance for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. That was a doozy because President Clinton and Hillary, President Obama and Michelle were there. It was quite the affair. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet any of them because they whisked us away, backstage, after the performance.

But just to see them out there was thrilling for me. Hopefully, I'll get to meet President Obama and Michelle, one day. But that was her last performance. The journey with her and some of the things I got to do with her was fascinating and profound. I got to play Radio City Music Hall with her for the

tribute to Clive Davis at the Tribeca Film Festival, where I got to meet Whoopi Goldberg, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Clive Davis. So, some of the experiences that I had with her and being able to tour with her, I never had before. Even the experience of playing for thousands of people that admired her. She was still packing theaters and stadiums. I mean packing them. I met a couple of guys that came from Australia to see her because, she doesn't fly. They said, "She doesn't fly so, we might not get another chance to see her." That's the phenomenon that she carried with her with people coming to see her from Australia and other countries.

pick up horns in the city she was playing in.

A couple of times, I ran into a couple of female horn players that I knew. When we did Chicago, a friend of mine that played saxophone was in that band. So occasionally, there would be some women in her band however, seeing women in her band consistently, was rare.

One performance she did I'll never forget. It was very personal, where she poured her heart out and expressed what she had been going through with her health and paying tribute to God, thanking God for getting her this far. I tell you there wasn't a dry eye. The band, (even though the fellas were trying to hide it,) we all had a tear rolling down from our eyes. The audience was just as engaged.

You could see people in the audience wiping their eyes. That was one of the most profound experiences I've ever had. That many people involved in her performance and her feelings. Just the love that people had for her was profound. It's an experience that I will never forget. That's for sure.

GM: Right now, I'm focusing on my project that I just released called “McKinFolk: The New Beginning.” It was released on the Detroit Music Factory label. So, my focus for 2019, is to work and tour that project.

DrJC: Were there any other women in her band?

GM: Yes. She had her cousin Brenda as a background vocalist. Sometimes, she had all women as background vocalists.

Sometimes, she had all women and a guy.

She had different sets. She had a Detroit, Chicago and a New York crew of background vocalist. The New York crew’s leader was a guy named Fonzi who was a very close friend to Luther Vandross.

Brenda was always a part of it. She had a woman on tambourine. That's all she did, play tambourine. It added a nice flavor, a spice to the music. She had two different ladies that played tambourine. So, those were the only females. She would never travel with the horns. She would always

DrJC: It was mostly male instrumentalists.

GM: Right.

DrJC: What are your future plans now that Ms. Franklin has transitioned?

DrJC: What record label are you with?

Do you feel you get enough recognition and support as much as they are giving the men on that label?

GM: I am with Detroit Music Factory which is a division of Mack Avenue Records. I cannot really speak as to whether or not they are giving the men more support than they are giving me. Another friend of mine in the music business, told me that, if you're a vocalist, they treat you a little differently than if you're an instrumentalist.

They do not push women instrumentalists the way they push a vocalist or a male instrumentalist. I don't know if that's true, so, I'm not going to say that it's true. I had another friend put out a record, last year, and I saw ads for his record in magazines. I don't know if he paid for that himself or if the label paid for it. He could have possibly paid for those ads himself. I know when I've tried to get ads from my label, they told me that magazine ads don't really help record sales and it's not that important to do that. I know differently because, it helps get the artist out there which, creates work for the artist, to help sell the record.

41 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

If I had my own money to put ads in Downbeat, Jazziz, and others, myself, I would. The label gave me radio promotion which is good, and I assume that they pushed it as hard as they could. Don’t get me wrong. I do appreciate what they have done to help promote my cd but, there are so many factors involved, just to get a CD noticed, that’s why it’s hard for musicians to do it by themselves.

DrJC: Do you have room to negotiate?

Because one of the six keys that I found that women musicians need to know how to use - branding, marketing, teamwork, networking, negotiation, and accounting - those six skills most women musicians do not know how to use. That's why we have WIJSF, an organization to be a promotion engine. People are always saying where are you performing?

That's not important. If you don't know where the person is performing, what good is it. That's why we concentrate on Musicwoman Radio, Musicwoman Magazine, and the WIJSF newsletter to get people to know about the musical members.

What advice would you give a young woman coming into the industry?

GM: The first thing I would tell her is to really be good at your craft. Align yourself with people that can further your career. It is very true, it's not what you know but who you know, in this business. I used to wonder what that meant when I was younger. Now, I really understand. Also, get a team together of people who want to help you and see you succeed. Find people who will help you do what it takes to get yourself out there and to promote yourself. Try to find somebody that will help you book gigs, get a booking agent, if you can, or at least somebody who will hustle for you to help you get gigs. Someone who doesn't mind being on the phone 24/7.

Spring 2019 - 42

If you can do all of this without having to come out of pocket to spend a whole lot of money right away, that's good. If you can find friends who will work with you and be there for you until you're getting paid well, then, that's a plus. But, it's hard because everybody wants money for their time and energy, which is understandable. But, if you can find people who will support you knowing that you don't have a lot of money to work with and help you get to the point where you're making good money, then, that's who you need on your team. Get your bio together, document everything you're doing - shows, concerts - build your resume. Social media does help a great deal. You can go live at your performances.

Make sure your social network is big so that people can see what you're doing.

Now, a lot of promoters and people looking for talent look at your numbers on social media. So, if you don't have a lot of numbers, they think that you don't have a lot of people who will come to your shows.

So, try to build that up as much as you can.

If you have somebody that can help you with that, try to keep your internet presence updated, or just do it yourself. It's hard because, when you're trying to work on your craft, do the business part and just deal with everyday life, it's very difficult.

Know the music avenue and the business avenue. You have to know both to succeed.

I am in the musician’s union. It's good to join the musician’s union. They will protect you and make sure you get what you're supposed to be paid in certain situations. A lot of my friends get jobs in the theater and a lot of them are union houses. So, being in the union helps too.

Gayelynn endorses Bosphorus Cymbals, Vic Firth Drum sticks, and Pearl Drums.

MWM

Straight Ahead: Kymberli Wright, Gayelynn McKinney, Marion Hayden, Alina Morr, Althea Rene

Glenn Tucker (piano), Ibrahim Jones (bass) & Gayelynn McKinney (drums)

43 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Straight Ahead: Alina Morr, Kymberli Wright, Gayelynn McKinney, Marion Hayden

Spring 2019 - 44

Healthcare in America: Not An Unchained Melody

By Lydia Harris Our American healthcare systems are based upon individual, group, and government funding that vary in cost, accessibility, delivery, and purpose. These factors create challenges for you, whether or not you have medical insurance.

Balancing the costs of living - food, clothing, shelter, and transportation - can be complicated further by the rising cost of healthcare. The U.S. does not have a universal healthcare system. Therefore, entrepreneurs, seniors, and unemployed workers and artists struggle to meet healthcare needs within this expensive and confusing system.

The cost of care varies between states. Medical care is a network-based benefit provided through an alphabet soup of systems including HMO, PPO, EPO, POS, HDHP, COBRA, and telemedicine. Most people choose the least costly plan but learn too late the consequences of their choice. Over 35% of insured Americans receive medical care through government-funded programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration. Obamacare (Affordable Care Act of 2014 - ACA) increased the number of individuals with health insurance. But 11% or 32 million Americans remain uninsured.

Medical care and insurance in the U.S. are the most expensive in the world. Too many Americans are unhealthy and insured. Insurance premiums are expensive and, prior to insurance paying for treatment, deductibles beginning at $1000 must be paid by the individual and at least double by a family. Once the deductible is met, the costs do not end. Medical costs escalate with co-pays for procedures, prescriptions, treatments, tests, and follow-up care. Consequently, many Americans delay or avoid medical visits for so long that their condition requires more expensive and extensive treatment, causing many people to choose between food and medicine. Then, they file bankruptcy for unpaid medical bills.

High on the list of reasons why medical care is so expensive in the U.S. are technology and drugs, chronic illnesses like obesity, and inflated administrative costs outsourced to private firms. Many who brave the maze of healthcare for illness or injury are not satisfied with the delivery of practicioners that they pay for so dearly. Dissatisfaction results from long waits in the doctor’s office, an unpleasant experience with office staff, surprise bills, or less than 5 minutes with the doctor, leaving you feeling unheard or uncared for.

These challenges leave many Americans afraid to use benefits, compounding the problem by delaying necessary medical care. Those who remain uninsured have even greater challenges. Musicians can create additional barriers for themselves with the prioritization of performance over self-care. They face additional health concerns like taxed hearing and vocal chords, repetitive motion injury, rigorous touring and travel demands, inconsistent work hours, circadian rhythm disturbances, substance abuse, access to remote care networks, and energy depletion from strenuous performances.

45 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Every profession has occupational hazards or some degree of risk. Every product and location offer opportunities for injury. As a result, personal injury, motor vehicle, or occupation-related injuries and illnesses create additional litigious issues that add more stress to an already complicated system.

The solution is to 1) assess your medical care needs, 2) educate yourself about options and resources to meet those needs, and 3) become better stewards of your health.

1. You must assess your a. Budget: copays, deductibles, premium payments, coverage maximums b. Health and wellness: diagnoses, screening results, medical treatment plans, holistic or alternative support systems, nutrition and hydration, and lifestyle habits c. Insurance: coverage, limitations, contact info, network providers, online access, authorizations, and billing d. Genetic predisposition to illnesses e. Opportunities for improvement: set goals to learn how to become healthy within your abilities and circumstances.

2. You should educate yourself about a. b. c. d.

Short-Term/Long-Term (ST/LT) medical care needs and resources Prevention and wellness activities Insurance coverage benefits and options that meet future needs Optimizing lifestyle habits, resources, wellbeing benefits, choices/decisions

3. You should become healthy physically, spiritually, financially, emotionally, and cognitively.

The good news is that early detection the bulk of healthcare dollars spent on major diseases are preventable or cheaper to control or eradicate with. They include diabetes, hypertension, obesity and kidney disease prevented with diet, activity, and intervention.

Comprehensive healthcare begins with us. Each of us can assess our current health and insurance status and educate ourselves on what it will take for us to become healthy! Focusing our emphasis on prevention and wellness is not just cheaper, it is good for us, our families, and our global community.

What will you do to enjoy your best health for the rest of your life?

Lydia Harris, RN, CCM is a Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager specializing in healthcare education and service coordination for disease and injury management. An entrepreneur, inspirational speaker and Amazon bestselling author of Art of the Healer. She resides in South Florida.

Reprinted with permission from Š2019 The Entrepreneurs’ Garden, LLC by Lydia Harris RN CCM

Spring 2019 - 46

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARTS

47 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Spring 2019 - 48

Sandra Kaye, a Jazz Vocalist in Asia

by Erin Peng Asia was all I expected and more. Kyoto, one of Japan’s most beautiful cities had a small-town, luxurious feel with lovely shops all around. You could smell the food and they specialized in presenting it in the most appetizing way. The love for music is everywhere and Jazz is King!

I performed at a small club in Kyoto that boasted of having a great audience no matter what day of the week it was. They enjoyed my traditional style of Jazz. I have been told by many guests that my sound and style was not heard much these days and they appreciated it very much. You could hear a pin drop in any Japanese jazz club. They came to hear the music and showed their appreciation.

China is where everyone must go at least once. Just be very careful because the form “Shop ‘til you Drop” can be your reality if you start to get to know the place. I played the most popular Jazz spots in China. I had a well-rounded experience. I played with great musicians from the Island of Mauritius. These people have a most exotic look and, if you look closely, you might mistake them for African Americans.

Many are great musicians with the songbook memorized.

The music is well-received in Asian tourist places like five-star hotels. However, the experience is different in local clubs, where the patrons are not as interested in the music. They take pictures and talk on their phones during the performances. I have even seen a show going on at a table while I was performing.

Thailand is another place in Asia to shop all day. I enjoyed Thailand and would go there, again. I played a small supper club with an amazing atmosphere and a huge movie screen in the backyard. Any night of the week you could sit out and enjoy concerts of jazz greats. The first film I viewed in Thailand was with Nat King Cole on a bigger-than-life screen. The Thai people were very pleased with their concept.

The club was a happening place. I performed with local musicians who knew their craft very well and, together, we represented jazz in style.

Kui Peng (aka Erin) was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She is a logistics professional with international experience in purchasing, import/export, warehousing, security, facilities planning, staff management, and cost controls. After college, she worked as a logistics manager in a multiinternational company in Shanghai, before moving to the USA to pursue her career. She received her Bachelor’s in Transportation and Logistics and an MBA from the University of North Florida. She is a member of Certified in Transportation & Logistics from the American Society of Transportation and Logistics. She developed and implemented a Department of Transportation driver’s compliance program which brought the company from 0% to 100% compliance. Erin is intelligent, energetic, outgoing, and easy-going with a great love for animals. She is a licensed accountant, customs broker, and entertainment agent. With her wide range of work experience from logistics and retail to relocation of companies, she started a new career in the entertainment business. She is the co-owner of World Entertainers Booking Entertainment Specialist Team Agency, LTD. based in Hong Kong, China (www.webestagency.com).

49 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Donyale Renee (USA), Fred Grenade (Mauritious), Carol Chang (Taiwan), Antonio Ximenez (Spain), Eric Essama (Cameroun)

LADY C - Carol Chang in Shanghai, China Interview by Mo Xing (December 19, 2018) MX: Hi, Carol. Tell us, how did you come to music as a child?

CC: I was born into a very musical family. My mom was a professional singer.

She's still singing. My grandfather played a little bit on the piano. So, when I was born, there was a piano in the house. Piano was my favorite toy and I heard my mom sing. Growing up, I had a lot of opportunity to see my mom perform. Since fifth grade, I studied pop and classical piano at the same time. I studied with my mom's piano player from her band. From a very young stage, I had the experience of how the professional musicians performed. I had a lot of exposure to them. I set up my goal to be a professional musician from very young.

MX: Did you study theory?

CC: Yes, I did. At 13 years old, my whole family moved to Los Angeles. I met a Taiwanese jazz musician who also had moved to America and was performing in Los Angeles. I met him through a piano store because we were selling pianos in the day time. That's how we found out he was a very famous Taiwan pianist.

So, my grandfather took me to study with him.

MX: What was his name?

CC: Jimmy Wang. He was very famous in Taiwan, playing jazz in the sixties.

Spring 2019 - 50

MX: Did you go to school to study music?

they came here with the preconception of "Let me show you what jazz is."

CC: Yes, I did. After high school, I went to Groves School of Music located in Van Nuys, California. I studied with Dick Groves, the founder of the school. I studied piano, theory, and arrangement. I really like swing and the nice feel of it. That was the first impression that I wanted to go into jazz.

Actually, someone did tell me "Let me show you how this should be." Then, after a few weeks of playing together, I thought, "I'm not as bad as I thought." At the beginning, I was a little intimidated because, even though I grew up in America, I never played professionally in America.

MX: Do you write music?

CC: I have the ability to write music but, somehow, I never wrote any music?

MX: So, we need to get you writing some music. But as an instrumentalist, you are a very interesting person. I know that you were the leader of the CJW International Band. Is that correct?

CC: Yes, I took this job 15 years ago. The club owner is someone I knew from Taiwan, Eric, who moved to Shanghai to start their music club and restaurant. That's how I came. I didn't know that the set up of the band was international. They wanted a singer from America and international musicians capable of performing jazz entertainment. So, that's how I came to Shanghai and I didn't know I would stay here this long.

MX: Well, I have to tell you that one of the heights of my career was coming to sing with the band at CJW Club. I only got to work with you at the top of the Westin Hotel on Sundays. Sandra Kaye brought me there and I will ever be beholding to her for bringing me to you.

I hope that some of our other members will get to work with you in the future.

Have you ever had any challenges being a female musician with men?

CC: All the time. Especially, with the musicians from New York because they're performing jazz in Shanghai. We brought in a lot of musicians who play jazz in America. So, before they really know me,

So, when I took this job, first of all, we didn't know where to find the musicians.

Secondly, we didn't know who we really brought in because we didn't know these people. They were referred by friends, one by one. So, the first three years were very hard for me to be the musical director because of the lack of resources. At that time, jazz was not Chinese music. It didn't belong to that environment. So, to create this club for the audience to understand.

There was always this distance. It was very hard to make people understand what we were doing. Slowly, we did a little bit of blending to make it friendlier for everyone who comes to the club. Finally, we found the right combination of everything but still in a jazzy place.

MX: Eric Wyatt was here when I was here. He was a good saxophonist from New York. Did you have others, not just from New York, but other American musicians who worked well with you?

CC: Almost everyone who came.

Everybody works well because, somehow, I had to find a way to bring out everyone's, the good part of every person and try to avoid the weaknesses. So, I found my way to manage so we could stay together like a group and start to like each other for three months. And, peacefully, we can get the job done and create some music together.

Everyone comes from different places and have different personalities. Jazz is such a personal music. We carry the personality in the music.

So, it makes a very interesting combination every time I change a player. That makes a new band. I think I learned so much from

being in this position and how to be a leader and keep things, peaceful. There were times when people just didn't get along, musically or personally. But we could not just quit the job and go home. We cannot just go away.

So, there were times when we just really had to get through.

helped them put the groups together. Jazz at Lincoln Center on had shows that they brought in from New York to Shanghai.

They didn't interact with the local musicians. They needed a local band to include.

MX: Did Wynton Marsalis come?

MX: Why do you think that the owner is that still Eric?

CC: Yes.

CC: He came at the beginning for the opening. The rest was run by someone, locally.

MX: What's his last name?

MX: Someone referred you?

CC: Chang, like mine.

CC: That's interesting. They were looking for a musical director here. I had a friend who knew I was the musical director at CJW. That's how I got to meet the local management of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

MX: Why do you think Eric entrusted you with this magnanimous opportunity?

CC: Maybe, he didn't know anybody else.

[Laughter]. I think that's part of the reason because of lack of resources. Even in Taiwan, there were not that many jazz musicians. It just happened because I came from a musical family and I went to America to study music. So, I took this job as a pianist. Later, I became the musical director of the club.

MX: Did you perform anywhere else besides China?

MX: CJW means?

CC: Cigar, Jazz, and Wine.

MX: [Coughing] We all make a joke about that.

CC: But don't you think that's a very good combination - a glass of wine, a nice cigar, and enjoying good music? I think that's a very good way to enjoy life.

MX: It is. But the singer gets in trouble.

CC: No. Mostly in Taiwan and China.

MX: Hong Kong?

CC: Yes, last month I was in Hong Kong for one week.

CC: Yes. So, last year, they started enforcing the law for not smoking in public.

So, everybody is happier. We're happier performing.

MX: Did they smoke upstairs?

MX: I saw a picture of you at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

CC: Yes, that was Lincoln Center in Shanghai. They opened in one year ago and last month I had an opportunity to perform during the week of performances. They need a local band to add on to their program with the musicians from New York to make this a small festival of afternoon show in the Bund area. Not only did I perform but I Spring 2019 - 52

CC: No, they can only smoke outside.

MX: Oh, that's good. And I see they remodeled the club and they don't have one at the top of the Westin on the Bund, anymore?

CC: Right. Eric Chang opened another one in Beijing and Tianjin.

MX: So, the one in Xintiandi, in Shanghai was managed by Michael King but it closed in May 2019.

CC: Right.

MX: How perform?

many

nights

did

you

CC: I performed five nights a week. It was supposed to be six, but I thought I needed one extra day to do some other stuff. I needed more time for myself. I had a regular pianist who helped me on that evening.

MX: Do you work with other female musicians?

CC: Yes, in China, I met a young lady drummer and a guitarist who are very talented. It's coming very well. Jazz education in China is really happening.

MX: He was excellent. And who was the drummer I worked with?

CC: Chu Wei Ming is still the number one drummer in Shanghai. Also, my good friend. Now, he's mainly doing tours and teaching. He's a regular faculty member at Shanghai Conservatory.

MX: Have you ever taught any workshops at Shanghai Conservatory?

CC: I did once as a guest lecturer. Also, I had a few opportunities doing clinics at the local music school. Yeah, it's coming along.

I should do more teaching.

MX: Wait until you get old, like me, then, you can teach.

CC: I think I should start next year, like in one month, next year!

MX: You will.

MX: Will you email me their names?

CC: Yes.

CC: I will. I should because I think I have a lot of experience and information to share with young people.

MX: What about the conservatory?

CC: As far as I know, about 18 years ago, Shanghai Conservatory started their jazz program set up under the percussion major.

It's a small branch but it's very well organized. It has the drums, bass, saxophone, and many other instruments. So far, I've seen many talented students who graduated from there and went straight to New York. They all want to go to the best environment to study further. It's very encouraging because I never imagined Chinese musicians could be that talented in jazz.

MX: I had a Chinese piano player from Nanjing. What was his name?

CC: Bai Tian is in Europe right now, studying further. He is a regular faculty member of Nanjing Conservatory.

MX: Now, on that note, Carol, what advice would you give a young woman coming into the music industry?

CC: First of all, I think everyone who wants to be in this industry must have watched someone play or sing. You admired somebody. When you first have that idea, you should find a way to study more, learn more. Find a good environment in which you can be around these people.

Watch how they play. Talk to them and see how they learn. I think you want to learn from somebody who can inspire you and give you a direction. You need some guidance. When you find this person try to learn as much as you can from experienced musicians.

MX: Music is a business. So, what do you advise a young woman coming into the music business about being a business person?

53 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

CC: Right. A long time ago, I realized that music is not just art. It's really about business. That's why, when we try to compose a song, the record company looks at your song and they only think if it can sell or not. They only think about money. I'm not saying that we only try to do this for money. But the world sees the value of your work. They have to think about money, too, not just the value in art. If you want to survive in music, you should also consider the monetary value of it. As a performer, our look, our dress, everything about your appearance - is it appropriate for people to pay money to watch you? I think we should all consider these things.

Also, the songs that you do, you have to be aware that the audience members come from different places. You have to consider their needs and your repertoire should be set up to satisfy their needs. If you want to have a successful show, you have to consider how to design your shows that people can follow. People can enjoy. They can clap. They can understand what you are trying to do, and everybody can get a little piece of memory of this concert, this show.

That makes a successful show. Not just showing what you want to show.

Sometimes, it doesn't mean anything, what you want. It's how you deliver it to other people.

a style. I have my own style on stage that people can see this is not just an accompanist who is in the back accompanying my singer. I also have my own stage look, stage image, my style of music. This is what I want to deliver to my guests.

MX: Have you done television and radio interviews?

CC: I think I have. Not recently, but I have.

MX: So, nobody did a documentary of you yet and you've been there 15 years?

CC: Not yet?

MX: Well, it might be time for a documentary about Carol Chang, the band leader at CJW for 15 years, in Xintiandi, which is like the Greenwich Village of Shanghai.

Have you done a recording?

CC: I had a concert, two years ago, in Tai Cang, Jiang Su Provence, China. It was recorded in video. The USB drive that I gave you has clips of it.

MX: Do I have your permission to publish some of it?

MX: How do you brand CJW?

CC: Yes.

CC: I think by being on CJW's stage that many years, I already became part of the brand because when repeat customers always see me there, that means something because I create a certain mood, a certain sound, a certain look. I have my look onstage. I always wear my bling bling shades. So, people love me. When I'm playing my solo, I put my shades on first.

Then, I start playing my solo. I think that's

MX: Excellent. We're going to do Blogtalkradio.com and maybe make a YouTube video about you with some of the photos and soundbytes.

CC: Thanks. CJW Club is closed now. So, I must move on. ~ MWM

Mo Xing is a ghost writer from Shanghai, China.

Spring 2019 - 54

Micki Lynn Murphy: An interview by Erin Peng EP: How did you come to music as a child? Did you study music theory?

MLM: My mother was a jazz singer. She used to sing to us since we were babies and there was always music playing in our home. No, I never studied music. I had some private lessons.

However, my lessons were tailored to strengthen my falsetto or head voice because I had a high soprano range and was not utilizing my falsetto although I was performing for about 6-7 years.

EP: Do you compose? Do you write music? If so, how many songs have you composed?

MLM: Yes, I write lyrics and melodies. But I don’t read music. I sing the melody to whatever I write and hear the melody in my head. I have composed and copywritten 45 songs.

EP: Do you have a publishing company with ASCAP or BMI? MLM: Yes, I am with ASCAP, BMI, and Writer’s Guild.

EP: Are you aware of the challenges woman face in the male-dominated field of music?

MLM: Of course, I have been through many of those challenges. There can be sexual harassment from band members and from career and venue management. Some try to control your career and subject you to longer and more restrictive contracts. Just be aware of bad contracts. I would suggest having an entertainment lawyer review any management contracts before signing then. You become a commodity and they try to control you.

EP: What advice do you have for younger women entering the world of literature or music performance?

MLM: First and foremost, keep your word, if you make a commitment! Study and learn the music. A lot of young people today say they have the repertoires, but they can’t sing on the stage without reading from their I Pad or cell phones for the lyrics. If you can’t sing a song without reading the lyrics, you don’t know the song. I am old school. You know the bands I have been in were self-contained. They would not even play the song if I could not sing it without reading the lyrics. The musical director would tell me to come back when I have learned the song!

My advice is to learn your craft and hone your skills. Don’t depend on beauty or who you know. Try to build as much repertoire as you can and study a variety of styles of the music.

Some singers prefer to sing one style of music and that’s fine if that is your forte. I learned that the more repertoires you have and the more styles of music you are able to sing, the more you will work. I am well versed in Jazz, R&B, Motown, funk, pop, and hip-hop styles, and I work year-round. Whatever the venues ask for, I can sing.

Spring 2019 - 56

I advise youths to learn how to take care of their voices and how to sing, properly. Once you get international contracts, it’s standard to perform six nights a week, three to four sets of 4550-minutes shows per night. Your vocal cords are very delicate muscles. They can be damaged or even destroyed by improper singing, yelling, and throat singing. That’s why you have to learn to sing properly from the gut. Taking care of your voice, includes getting proper rest, avoiding certain foods like milk that produces mucus. Cold drinks with ice are not good.

Drinking alcohol can have an adverse effect on the voice, over a period of time, causing singers to loose their vocal range. My advice is not to drink alcohol, when performing, because it could effect your voice and performance.

Get the proper rest. That is crucial. This is nightlife and people will invite you out. You’re travelling, and you want to see everything. But you need to pace yourself and remember that your voice comes first.

You have to make sacrifices, if you want to be in this game for a long period of time. Otherwise, you will have serious vocal problems and you can get burned out. I would warn female singers to avoid getting involved sexually, emotionally, or romantically with band members because it can be very divisive and create problems within band. It is not a good practice and it rarely ends well!

Concentrate on your career because there is always more to learn and grow from musically.

Carry yourself in a respectful manner and you will earn the respect of your band members and anyone you do business with.

Kui Peng (aka Erin) was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She is a logistics professional with international experience in purchasing, import/export, warehousing, security, facilities planning, staff management, and cost controls. After college, she worked as logistics manager in a multi-international company in Shanghai, before moving to the USA to pursue her career. She received her Bachelor’s in Transportation and Logistics and Master’s in MBA from the University of North Florida. She is a member of Certified in Transportation & Logistics from the American Society of Transportation and Logistics. She developed and implemented a Department of Transportation driver’s compliance program which brought the company from 0% to 100% compliance. Erin is intelligent, energetic, outgoing, and easy-going with a great love for animals. She is a licensed accountant, customs broker, and entertainment agent. With her wide range of work experience from logistics and retail to relocation of companies, she started a new career in the entertainment business. She is the co-owner of World Entertainers Booking Entertainment Specialist Team Agency, LTD. based in Hong Kong, China (www.webestagency.com).

57 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Spring 2019 - 58

59 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Interview with Carmen Bradford Atlanta, GA

By Dr. Joan Cartwright DrJC: Good afternoon, Carmen. Would you please share with us how you came to music as a child?

CB: Good afternoon, Joan. Well, I came to music, I was raised in a home full of music, full of jazz by some incredible musicians.

My mother jazz vocalist Melba Joyce and my father jazz trumpeter Bobby Bradforth.

Music was played throughout my whole childhood.

DrJC: Where are some of the places that you have toured with the Count Basie Orchestra?

CB: Oh, my goodness, that question should be where haven't you toured. All of Europe, Southeast Asia, we've just been around the world together. There are just too many cities and too many countries to try and remember them all but there have been many countries.

DrJC: You just returned from Singapore.

Spring 2019 - 60

CB: Yes, but that was not with the Basie Band. I was performing with the Jazz Association of Singapore. That's a big band.

DrJC: I see. How many gigs do you do a year with the Basie Band?

CB: I would say 15 or 20.

DrJC: Do you have your own charts, or do you use their charts?

CB: They don't have charts for singers.

The singers that they hire have their own big band charts. Nobody comes to the Basie Band waiting to be given or told what to sing. This is a professional orchestra and you have to come fully loaded with some serious charts.

DrJC: Who does your charts?

CB: It just depends. I have charts by John Clayton, Thad Jones, Chico Farrell, and, of course, Frank Foster. David Springfield is just exquisite and has just written me a beautiful arrangement of We’ll Love Again that tune made famous by Doris Day from the Hitchcock film The Man That Knew Too Much. It is absolutely gorgeous. I'm so excited about it. And, also, Chris Johnson,

a trumpet player in the Basie Band. He's a wonderful arranger.

DrJC: That's terrific! Now, tell us about this new CD that you just recorded with the Basie Band.

DrJC: Well, Carmen, a talent of your caliber should never be wanting for more opportunity. So, what are you feeling in that area or experiencing as far as not enough recognition, not enough work, what are you experiencing?

CB: The 2019 Grammy-Nominated Album titled All About That Basie available on Amazon. It's a tribute album and it features some incredible artists. I'm on the album paying tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, singing Honeysuckle Rose. Kurt Ellington pays tribute to Frank Sinatra, performing Don't Worry About Me. Take Six pays tribute to Joe Williams with Everyday I Have The Blues. Joey DeFrancesco, Jon Faddis, and Wycliff Gordon are on the album with Jamie Davis on vocals.

CB: Well, it's true what you said. A lot of people are not acknowledged for the work they do. I've known you a long time and we have a personal relationship. So, you are looking at that with different eyes. There are plenty of people that are not getting the exposure that they deserve. That's just the business. I would hope that people just continue, and they love what they're doing.

But it's just not easy and it doesn't matter that we think I should be getting more exposure. It just doesn't work like that.

It's a project that I'm really proud of paying tribute to Ella with that song. I'm hoping that she's looking down and listening.

Of course, things probably would be different if I didn't represent myself. I've had management and I've been booking my own dates for so long that I think that getting an agent or manager just wouldn't suit me. That situation would have to be so perfect and I'd have to be so compatible with a person. The idea of having to call someone at this stage of my life to see if they booked any dates for me. That really would be a concern for me. I don't want to have to call someone to find out what they are doing with my life. The idea of that really bothers me.

DrJC: So, this is a compilation CD. Was it all done in the same studio, just bringing the featured guest in?

CB: It was done at Capitol Records in Hollywood and we all came in one-by-one.

Stevie Wonder is on harmonica on My Cherie Amour. He's not singing.

DrJC: Who was the musical director?

CB: Scott Barnhardt is the director of the Count Basie Orchestra. He co-produced with Gregg Field.

Fortunately, at this stage of my life, people call me. There are wonderful concert dates, symphony dates. But I want to do more than that.

DrJC: I understand that the CD is up for a Grammy. What would that mean for you?

DrJC: What do you want to do?

CB: I would hope that it would mean more employment. That's what most musicians are thinking about that it would bring a lot more employment, exposure, and opportunity. To be recognized in the world where you've not been able to break that door down. You can do that with a Grammy.

CB: I'd like to do some movie soundtracks. And, one in particular, but I'm not willing to say. Sometimes, I think it's important to not speak on things but visualize and pray on things before I speak about it. This was a big one I wanted forever. I don't know if I've prayed on it long enough. But I'd love to continue doing

61 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

commercials. I did a lot of commercials and jingles in the past. Things are happening. In the last two to three years, my career has had a boost. The universe had just looked my way. I haven't done anything different that I've ever done in the past to move things along as far as speaking on it and waiting on the Lord to bless me with it.

That's what I continue to do and love what I'm doing.

DrJC: Well, we, at Women in Jazz South Florida have a mission to promote women like you. I believe this premiere, hard copy edition of Musicwoman Magazine will bring awareness of you, our cover story, and the other fabulous women musicians featured. I'm so excited that it took 10 to 11 years for this idea to come into being and I believe that it will be a boon to the careers of many of our 340 members.

CB: Congratulations!

DrJC: Talk about your experience teaching at the university.

CB: It's been wonderful. I've been teaching at university since 2001. James Newton, the flautist and composer, offered me a teaching position with one or two vocal students. It turned out that I had some information to share. I really enjoyed it.

When I got the job at USC, it was a little different. I may have had too many students and I didn't get to focus on all of them. All of this was going on while I was touring. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was a great jumpstart to something that I love.

Last year, I was saying how great it would be to teach again, if it worked out with my touring schedule. Shortly after that, I was offered the position over the RJAM Program in the Jazz Department at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. They have a new jazz program called Roots, Jazz, and American Music. So, I've done one semester and began my next semester on February 1, 2019. It's exciting. We have 23 students in the program. We did auditions Spring 2019 - 62

in the first week of February. Clairdee and I work together at RJAM and it would not work without her. When I'm not there, it's Clairdee's wonderful approach and years of experience as a performer and educator, that allows me to work there, leaving everything in her capable hands each month. We both decide what's best for the vocal student.

DrJC: That's great! You teach them voice, solfeggio, what do you teach them?

CB: She's a jazz voice major. So, we work on standards, breath control, what she should be focusing on while she's singing.

We work on her phrasing, improvisation with words or scatting, vocalese. The vocal student participates in one of the jazz ensemble. She has to learn everything that they are working on. She is a freshman and they are accepting freshmen and sophomores, at this time. It's exciting. She's a wonderful student.

DrJC: That's Clairedee?

CB: No, Clairedee is the vocal teacher.

DrJC: So, when you say 'she'?

CB: I'm talking about my vocal student.

DrJC: So, when you say 23 musicians in the program?

CB: There are 22 instrumentalists and one vocalist.

DrJC: Now, on that note, do you ever get to work with female musicians?

CB: Oh, of course. In my tour schedule, I work with a lot of female musicians, when I do symphony dates. When I do big band dates, I work with the Diva Jazz Orchestra.

It's been a while since I've worked with them. When I tour, I tour different universities and perform with the university's big band. So, I always have the opportunity to work with female musicians.

DrJC: Do you relate to your students anything about the business of music? You talked about managing yourself, booking your own gigs, negotiating your fees. Can you talk about negotiation?

CB: Sure, I talk about everything with my student from stories, being on the road, to experiences to negotiation. She's already in the RJam program and performing. I talk about fees and what to say. How to present themselves. I do that when I'm doing a master class at other universities. I mention lots of things about the business. How things should work. When it's ok to just say 'No' and walk away from something.

DrJC: One of the keys to success for women musicians and entrepreneurs is negotiation. Women do not negotiate as well as men do. But those of us who have managed ourselves for years, decades, have a notion about negotiation. There is a question that lingers. That is, "How do you know what your true value is?" Have you come to that conclusion?

CB: Oh, yes. I had to do a negotiation just yesterday. The gentleman was giving me information like he was holding a balloon and letting air out. Every day he was adding more and more information instead of telling me everything that the job involved.

It's been on my mind all day because, this morning, I felt like calling him to say, "I don't think I'm going to do the gig. Get somebody else."

That comes with maturity, when you reach a point in your life when you feel comfortable with saying, "No" and with walking away from something. It's really important for women to look at things, not like, if I don't accept this gig, how am I going to get a couple of bills paid?

If we could not focus on how much the job is going to cover, financially, and look further down the road. Your trust level has to be in a very serious place. It's taken a while. Even now, I'm thinking about this gentleman I spoke with today. I'm thinking

about pulling out of the gig. I just didn't like that slow leak. Each day, when I asked him to verify something, it was something out and I'm saying, "What was that?" It just isn't sitting well with me. I just want to pull out and I'm comfortable with walking away.

DrJC: Well, talk about a negotiation that worked.

CB: This is rare. Almost all of them work.

I do not have concert dates that didn't work out or that I arrived to perform, and it was uncomfortable. They all run very smoothly You have to be very confident about what you can or cannot do. Know that about yourself. Know what you're capable of doing. Don't agree to things that you cannot do and know that it's ok.

It's very important to negotiate. Sometimes, at that university level, the money might be a bit small. If they're hiring you to come to do a big band performance and their budget is small, ask the band director if there are two arrangements for you in their files.

They are valuable, so, don't leave the money on the table. Ask him if he has any vocal arrangements or big band that you could have to compensate me for the money you cannot afford to pay me. Ask if there is someone in the band that can do an arrangement. He might have something in his stash that might suit you perfectly for you and might even be in your key. Even if it's not in your key, take it and get the key changed.

If you're doing a master class in a trio situation, ask the head of the program if they have any small group arrangements or big band charts to compensate for that. Be frank with them, "That money is a bit small." What do you have in your file cabinet that I might be interested in. This is how you build those relationships and they'll call you back every two years to teach again. (Continued on p. 64)

63 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

DrJC: That's great advice for young women who are just putting their foot in the water as far as big band is concerned. What about trio arrangements, do you chart those?

CB: At least 90% of my trio arrangements are written for me. It's important that everything is in my key and I'm comfortable with everything. Unless you hear something played by someone else and you ask the arranger to share that arrangement with you. They'll probably say, "Yes, if you hire me."

DrJC: Ahhh, negotiation!

CB: Absolutely. Don't walk away from the money.

DrJC: Do charts stifle your improvisation?

CB: Not at all. You can add whatever you want, wherever you want.

DrJC: You certainly have given some food for thought, especially for our young readers. Do you have anything to add?

CB: Be fearless. Don't be afraid to speak up. All people can say is, "No." All you

have to say is, "Thank you," and keep it moving, and be ready to ask someone else.

Let me say this, when you have a deep desire to have an arrangement written for you by someone very famous, if you contact them, make sure you speak with them on the phone. Don't just email them.

Here is the brave part. Ask them if they will accept payments from you. This is really important because arrangements - big band or trio - can cost thousands of dollars, depending on how famous the person is.

But there's no shame in your saying, "I can't afford that, but I could afford it, if you could take payments from me."

Don't be embarrassed about that. Do you want to build your big band book, your trio, sextet, or quartet book?"

Be thorough. Be prepared. Have some great stuff in your book! No shame, honey, in payments. We are working musicians.

Everybody is learning in one way or another, even the big names. Don’t be embarrased. Ask! DrJC: And ye shall receive!

CB: Amen! ~ MWM

Nominated for a Grammy in 2019 Spring 2019 - 64

Mark your calendar for 2020

Yvette Norwood-Tiger

Spring 2019 - 66

67 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

JAZZ IN PINK

By Gail Jhonson In 2018, Jazz in Pink celebrated 10 years of performing together as an ensemble of musical women that grace the stage with talent, beauty, passion and power!

Jazz in Pink formed in 2008 and has enjoyed performances across the country and abroad with over 50 musicians and vocalists that compose, arrange, and produce music in the smooth jazz format; although their stage performances reflect classical, funk, gospel, Latin and World music, as well as jazz.

Jazz in Pink hosted a music conference for and about women - Women Making Music a Choice! It takes a team of people to make an event like this happen. Our event was managed by consultant, Jacki Goodson-Smith. She headed the team with poise, patience and excellent leadership. Jacki was the liaison between all the departments and made herself available consistently. Pauline Samuels, graphic designer of Cognition-Designs took my basic cover art and transformed my program booklet into eye-candy, simple yet elegant. Rick Ridgway was in charge of the program booklet layout.

The order of the ads, pictures, and sponsorship placement is important and attention to details is paramount. Robbie Campbell, our set designer is a phenomenal, hands on event stylist. She makes great use of space and delivered my vision in 3D tastefully! Caterer, Teresa Lewis created a pink menu, an edible work of art. Delicious food, tempting drinks and a fabulous cake-fit for a queen, with a beautiful presentation. Our security team was licensed, professional and discreet. The vendors are always an added bonus to any event, and we were glad to have a nice variety. Our merchandising team set up a beautiful display of pink memorabilia-t shirts, hoodies, caps, candles, shea butter, as well as copies of Jazz in Pink’s 1st Collection CD and the new single Back and Forth. Sponsors and supporters included: -Dakota Sax -Cognition Designs -Rene Dickerson Art -Hands4HopeLA -Kate Quarter Productions -Jazz in Pink friends & family

-Aguilar -Pick World -Fred Mitchell -Forecast Sound & Lights -First Baptist Church of NoHo

-Chick-fil-A -Dave Koz -Jambalaya Jazz Bistro -Normantic Entertainment -Silent E Productions

The event served as a networking entity among women in the music industry, to share resources and information, and to improve performance opportunities. Musicians, engineers, managers, and music industry personnel attended. The venue was transformed into The Pink Room, equipped with an adequate sound system and vibrant lights, with a stage that held the instrumentation loaf a mini orchestra!

Spring 2019 - 68

Panel discussion with awesome women in music

Kayleen Peeples/image and press; Kyna Hubbard/promotion, management; Barbara Collin/booking agent; Eloise Laws/recording artist, vocalist; Melissa Manchester/recording artist, songwriter; Dr. Joan Cartwright/educator, composer, author; Kat Dyson/international musician; Jazzy Rita/radio personality, actress, vocalist; and Moderator Sheryl Aronson/journalist, author (not pictured)

We had lots of fun with a raffle; an auction of a Pink Electric Guitar signed by Grammyaward winner Norman Brown; lunch with pink lemonade; shopping with vendors; and topped it off with a concert in The Pink Room by Jazz in Pink, followed by a jam session.

Our audience had a great time and it was even more special when they wore pink!

This first annual event was held October 20, 2018, from 3 to 8 p.m at First Baptist Church of NoHo. Registration was reasonably priced at $25, with nearby parking in North Hollywood.

More information can be found at:www.jazzinpink.com; email: jazzinpink2018@gmail.com T-shirt orders are still accepted with payments to PayPal or Cash App to our email: jazzinpink2018@gmail.com ”Moms, the music lessons will pay off. Dads, it’s ok to let your daughters play jazz!”

69 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Sandra Lizano | lizanosandi@gmail.com | 772-812-3430

Spring 2019 - 70

71 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Spring 2019 - 72

Yvette Norwood-Tiger, Producer

Mark your calendar for April 2020!

73 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Thanks to Howard Mandel and Laurie Dapice for honoring me as a 2019 JJA Jazz Hero, Brian Zimmerman, Digital Editor of Jazziz Magazine, for presenting the award, and Marika Guyton for organizing the award ceremony. Photo: Gregory Reed - 4/25/19

Amazing Musicwomen: Kim Jenkins, Roberta DeMuro, Joan Cartwright, Jus’ Cynthia

Spring 2019 - 74

$5,000

LIKE us at www.conquestgraphics.com/news/nonprofit-partners-2019/women-in-jazz-south-florida-inc

75 - MusicwomanMagazine.com

Spring 2019 - 76