The Many Colors of a Woman series of jazz concerts have been showcasing the role of women in jazz for decades. Jazz is one of America’s musical creations, born of the creative confluence of different traditions and cross-cultural innovations. Since it revolves around the interplay between improvisation and big-group structure, the music has often served as a metaphorical stand-in for the ideals of freedom, equality and democracy.
But jazz — like every other American institution — has suffered from gender prejudice and sexism. Female musicians often didn’t get the chance they deserved in the largely male-dominated world of jazz. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been scores of talented female improvisors, accompanists, and composers.
Today, the world of creative jazz has a more representative showing of big-name female players and band leaders, but we’re not past the point where a corrective effort to counterbalance the historical injustice would be unnecessary.
Nicki Mathis’s Afrikan Amerikan Jazz New Millennium All Stars will perform original compositions by Carla Dean, Joanne James, Dotti Anita Taylor, Deborah Weisz and others, as well as standards. Mathis is a Hartford-based poet, artist, singer and bandleader who has been producing these concerts for decades.
The Many Colors of a Woman Jazz Festival will be held at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., Hartford, on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. The event is free. 860-695-6300 and hplct.org
