April is Jazz Appreciation Month! Thursday, March 31, 2011
This April is the 10th Anniversary of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM!) As always, there are many ways to commemorate this unique American art form.
JAM's 2011 theme honors the history of overlooked musicians, “Women in Jazz: Transforming a Nation.†The programs at National Museum of American History will tell the story of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and their beginnings at Piney Woods School in Mississippi, “the school that music built.†The Sweethearts gained global recognition as the nation's first integrated female band, founded in 1937. Like many other women at the time, the Sweethearts confronted dual biases of gender and race and excelled during a period in history when many Southern blacks lived in slavery without chains and women were second class citizens. Another female jazz pioneer, Mary Lou Williams, is the face of this year's celebrations; her portrait by Keith Henry Brown is the centerpiece for JAM's poster.
In honor of JAM 2011, Stanton’s Sheet Music is highlighting the compositions of Maria Schneider. A disciple and student of the great Gil Evans, Schneider’s music is introspective and moving. Check out these following compositions.
Baytrail Shuffle
Bird Count
City Sunrise
In a Pinch
Smooth Talk