THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S BRASS CONFERENCE, ST.LOUIS, MO. JUNE 26-29,1997

After learning belatedly of the first International Women's Brass Conference (IWBC) in 1993 and hearing what a great event it was, I vowed not to miss this second conference. So, when I received an invitation to perform at the 1997 conference with DIVA, No Man's Band, I was honored and most pleased. 

While the purpose of this conference was to celebrate the achievements of women in the world of brass, it was clear that the conference was not for women only. Langston Fitzgerald of the Baltimore  Orchestra, Eugene Pokorny of the Chicago Symphony, and David Taylor, among others, also performed. 

All the performances were of a tremendously high degree of musicianship, and everyone was encouraged to make the joy of making music the primary focus. In setting the tone for the conference at the opening concert, Susan Slaughter, outgoing ICWB president, remarked that she wanted everyone to have fun and enjoy the music rather than feel she or he would be performing before a group of the harshest critics (which is the mood at many conferences I have attended). To make her point, she stated she would be the one to play the first "bad" note of the conference and proceeded to play a sound representative of such. With the tone set, a quintet comprised of Susan, Marie Speziale of the Cincinnati Orchestra, Velvet Brown, Jean Rife and Mary Ann Craig set the level of musicianship to which each attendee would aspire.

This was a talent-laden conference, and the performances were truly inspiring. Those performing in the Jazz area were Clora Bryant , Betty O'Hara, Ingrid Jensen and DIVA, and me. Clora and Betty are two truly historic ground-breakers in the field and a joy to behold. A creative and musical player, Ingrid enbodies the future of Jazz. To anyone who has not heard DIVA, don't miss this band! Enough said!

Participants in the orchestral and chamber music field included trumpeters Carole Dawn Rienhart and Cathy Leach, trombonists Rebecca Bower and Abbie Conant, hornists Julie Landsman and Michelle Baker and tubists Kathleen Branigan and Joanna Hersey. Rebecca Bower, co-principal trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, played one of the great recitals of the
conference and was a joy to hear. She is truly a major voice on that instrument!  My dear friends, Metropolitan Opera hornists Julie Landsman and Michelle Baker, played another exceptional performance. I regret space doesn't allow me to mention every participant, because they all were so fine.  Each concert was a gem of musicality and displayed the spirit of what music is supposed to be all about. 

One instance that demonstrates the fun tenor of the conference occured when I invited orchestral trumpeter and incoming IWBC president Marie Speziale to join me on "Secret Love," the up-tempo closer of my portion of the concert.  Her performance was a surprise to most, because few know of Marie's past experience playing in the Afro-Cuban bands around her home
town of Tampa, Fla., during her formative years. She performed magnificently in what had to be one of the precious moments of the conference. Although this multi-talented lady is recognized as one of the "heavies" in the symphonic area, she may decide to change directions and cut a swath through the field of Jazz. 

The concept for the IWBC was the brainchild of Susan Slaughter, and she has put major effort into bringing this project to fruition.  Although many contributed to the success of the two IWBC conferences, much of the credit is due Susan for her tireless efforts. Because of my experiences at the conference, I have since become a member of the IWBC.

So much great music and so many wonderful experiences transpired at that conference. I have to say that I have never attended a conference anywhere in which I saw and experienced such warmth and support for and among all the participants. It truly was a celebration of all that those of us who are immersed in music hold so dear! I can't wait for the next conference in the year 2000.

JUST GOT WORD:

National Public Radio just called to invite me to be on Billy Taylor's "Jazz at The Kennedy Center" on Jan. 29, 2001. I am sure most of you know the format of the showâ basically, playing in concert with Billy Taylor and his trio and also talking with and answering questions from the audience. I am quite excited about it and am honored that he asked me. I will let everyone know the original broadcast period when they notify me.

A THOUGHT: 

One thing I hope this newsletter will help me do is to dispel the perception anyone still may have regarding my current musical activities. Even though I have been away from the studio scene for over ten years now and am performing and working almost exclusively as a touring Jazz soloist, many people still seem to view me as a studio player rather than a serious Jazz musician. I hope I may be able to change that perception as, since 1988, practically all of my musical efforts have been directed in the Jazz performance field. I had many wonderful experiences and enjoyed great success in the NYC studios, and I owe much of my notoriety to that wonderful period of my career. But things change, and, in my case, I believe for the better. I love playing now more than ever and feel I am doing so at the top of my game. To me, this is the most rewarding period of my life both musically and personally.

NEW THINGS:

This web site is going to be redesigned and should be completed by the middle of the summer. Here you also can read present issues of Cadenzas, past articles from former issues, find a list of my clinics and workshops, my equipment page, my itinerary, listen to sound clips and much more. 

I am going to continue writing articles of interest and controversy directed toward those engaged fans, educators, and the musical community at large. The web site now features a new page, "In Response" to accommodate those of you who would like to give your thoughts on the issues raised in these articles. I encourage anyone wishing to express their thoughts and opinions - both in agreement AND in opposition - to do just that. For your convenience, there is an e-mail link from this new page directly to me. While it will be impossible to post every response, I will post those that are thought provoking and meaningful and pertinent to the issues. Feel free also to raise new issues that heretofore have not been broached, ones you feel should be examined. It is my sincere desire that this new format will lead to a vigorous exchange of ideas. Unless you specifically request confidentiality, your name will be posted with your responses.

For those of you who have mentioned difficulty accessing the area of the Sound Clips, that problem has been corrected and now should present no problem. Please let me know if any of you still experience difficulty in that area of the site. Also, the Schedule page on the site is updated constantly and provides more complete and current information than is found elsewhere. 

NEWS & HAPPENINGS:

The past six months have been quite exciting! Because there was so much going on, I'll only touch briefly on the highlights.

ORCHESTRAS:

My new venture, that of performing as a soloist with symphony orchestras, is one about which I am very excited. This season, 1999-2000, I am performing seven concerts, five in the U.S. and two with an orchestra in Brazil. The first concert, which I wrote about in the January Cadenzas, was one featuring the legendary Clark Terry and myself with the Illinois Philharmonic. Sharing the stage with Clark any time is a thrill. My subsequent concerts with the Charlotte Philharmonic and the Wichita Falls Symphony were no less thrilling, and it is always wonderful to experience and know how many great musicians can be found everywhere in this country. 

I have just returned from Brazil where I performed two symphony concerts, one in Tatui and another in Campos De Jordão. Antonio Carlos Neves Campos conducted the orchestra and also arranged three pieces for me. The orchestra, made up of faculty and students from the conservatory in Tatui, performed brilliantly. 

While there, I also added three new arrangements to my library, three written by Brazilian arrangers, A. C. Neves Campos and Hudson Nogueira and a fourth, Jobim's "Corcovado" arranged by Jerry Ascione, former leader of the Navy Commodores and a fine pianist in his own right. He has just released his own big band CD, of which I am proud to be a part, on the Sea Breeze label entitled "Beautiful Love".

Upon my return, I flew to Chicago to perform another concert, this time with the Northbrook Symphony. The artistic director of this orchestra is Sam Magad, concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony, and conducting this orchestra was William Eddins, resident conductor of the CSO and recent winner of the most prestigious Seaver/NEA Conducting Award for American conductors. Bill Eddins is "somethin' else" great time and wonderful clarity in his conducting. You are going to hear and know much about this man! 

I greatly enjoy working with symphony orchestras. My repertoire is mainly from the standard American songbook by composers Ellington, Kern, Dietz and Schwartz, David Raksin and others; I also have compositions by Jobim and Luis Bonfa. The bulk of my library has been written and arranged by my friend of many years, Jack Cortner, and now have contributions by Jerry Ascione and Manny Albam and my two Brazilian friends. 

My dear friend from Rome, composer Massimo Nunzi, has given me his original composition, "Un Uomo Disabitato", a lovely piece that evokes special emotions. In 1999, Massimo won the unique prize, "Beaumarchais" in the section "Lyrique" for his opera, "Qui Donc Quidam". This most prestigious of prizes is organized by SACEM, the French equivalent to our ASCAP or BMI.  As well, his friend and librettist, Yann Apperry, won the prize for the libretto to this opera.