We will publish our sixth International Women’s Day special tomorrow. Sebastian sets the context:  

The guest editor of our International Women’s Day special in 2011 was artist and tour manager Fran
Hardcastle and she ended her introduction to that year’s coverage – and the very first piece we published with the prophetic line:

“If you want jazz to remain a male preserve…look away now!” 

She was right. Things have moved on.

We are pleased to have played a small part. We are frequently told that LJN is less of a male preserve than many other jazz publications and it is a direction we try to move further in wherever and whenever we can. Also, in the years since 2011, we have produced 65 pieces to mark IWD, including four new interviews to be published tomorrow.

THIS YEAR’S FEATURES

Karolina Strassmayer
Saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer was the first woman ever to have a salaried post in one of the German radio big bands

Shirley Smart
Cellist Shirley Smart has lived for a decade in Jerusalem

Jane Cornwell
Jane Cornwell is jazz critic for the Evening Standard and also writes for Songlines

Karen Pearson
Broadcaster Karen Pearson founded Folded Wing which produces Jamie Cullum’s BBC Radio 2 show


SOME FAVOURITES

I am unqualified to make this selection – and for obvious reasons – but here is a selection of pieces about musicians that I remember…

1) In 2011 Ruth Goller sent in this wonderful piece completely spontaneously and unsolicited

2) When we did our second IWD special with Catherine Ford in 2014  Ruth did a podcast interview where Alexa von Hirschberg interviewed her

3) Alison Bentley interviewed the great  Dianne Reeves. What’s not to like

4) Before they were famous (1) …. Rosie Turton Nubya Garcia and Romarna Campbell were featured in 2015 in a piece from Tomorrow’s Warriors

5) Before they were famous (2)  Eve Risser

6) Shannon Barnett of the WDR Big Band wrote a superb piece last year


FULL LIST OF 61 ARTICLES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS

2017

Canadian promoter / manager Judith Humenick

Uruguayan drummer Naty Giachino

WDR Big Band trombonist Shannon Barnett

Bassist Flo Moore

Publisher of Jazzthetik Christine Stephan

CEO of jazzahead! Sybille Kornitschky

Finnish Norwegian singer Sinikka Langeland

2016

Swedish singer Cecilia Stalin

Promoter Jane Glitre

Women in senior roles in European jazz – a listing from EJN

Ingrid Jensen (by Kim Macari )

Bengi Unsal had just been appointed to a senior programming role at Southbank  Centre l

Melody McLaren is a jazz photographer

Joanna Wallfisch

Sorana Santos

Marianne Windham

Roslin Russell

2015

Karen Street

 Lizy Exell and Old Hat

 Eve Risser

 Dianne Reeves

Angela Davis

Freda Knowles

Joanna Wallfisch

Kim Macari – Creative Female Jazz Voices

 Anjali Perin – Carnatic Vocals to Jazz Improvisation

Irene Serra – -isq

 The sky is the limit – Monika S. Jakubowska

Allison Neale

 Zoe Rahman

 Jennie Cashman Wilson – The Abram Wilson Foundation

 Noemi Nuti

 Yazz Ahmed Polyhymnia

 Airelle Besson

 Imelda May talks about Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf

Jazz, stage, fashion and style by Jumoke Fashola 

Kai Hoffman ‘s backstage glamour secrets

Jumoke’s special IWD line-up for Jazz Verse Jukebox

Rosie Turton Nubya Garcia and Romarna Campbell

2014

Podcast interview with Ruth Goller

Andrea Vicari

Anna Drysdale

Faye Patton

Amy Pearce

Amina Figarova

Jeune Guishard Pine

Alison Rayner and Deirdre Cartwright

Jumoke Fashola

Rosalie Genay and Rebecca Nash

Tori Freestone

 Vicki Igbokwe and Uchenna

Jehane Markham

2011

Christine Allen

Preview of Women of the World

Esther Bennett on the jam scene

Yots K

Lee Paterson

LisaGee on women (not) writing about jazz

Sue Edwards

RuthGoller

Here Come the Girls by Fran Hardcastle