Autumn Roundup

Since March 2007, Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes women musicians, globally, has presented several successful programs to community seniors, adults, children and students. Through a number of grants, WIJSF organized and promoted Amazing Musicwomen at AARLCC in 2008, Lauderhill Jazz Series (2009) at the Warehouse in Lauderhill, Community Musicwomen (2009-2010) at ArtServe and senior centers in Sunrise and Miami Beach, and the Lauderhill Jam in 2010.

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Founder and executive director Joan Cartwright will receive the Spirit of Excellence Music Leader of the Year Award from American Business Women's Association of South Broward on November 9, 2011. Along with musicians like guitarist KJ Denhert, harpist Chrystal Sawyer, pianists Melody Cole and Paul Banman; Bickley Rivera on steel pan, and singers Robin Avery, Jus' Cynthia, Jae Duncan and Mzuri Moyo, Joan has distributed the organization's first compilation CD Volume I. The second volume will be released in 2012.

At the website - www.wijsf.com - is a schedule of events, photo gallery of past events, ways to support the organization's work and a Directory of Jazz Women. The organization links with several music associations, including Donne in Musica, Sunshine Jazz Organization, South Florida Jazz Summit, Jazzonian, International Women in Jazz and Lauderhill Sister Cities.

The fifth year of WIJSF will open with a concert FROM BEBOP TO DOO WOP TO HIP HOP at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, January 25, 2012, with the Parkway Middle School of the Performing Arts Jazz Band and Vocal Ensemble performing musical arrangements of WIJSF members. Lorna Lesperance and Melton Mustafa, Jr. will conduct arrangements by Dr. Malcolm Black, 20-year veteran director of the Broward College Jazz Department. They will be joined by Robin Avery and Paul Banman on "Light The Way", a slideshow of light and love.

The music includes The Color of Love is You by Jus' Cynthia; Joan Cartwright's trilogy Countin' On The Count, A Natural Thing and We Are Free; Art Wilson's Rock and two Doo Wop selections by former Parkway students. This program is funded by a grant from the Student Enrichment in the Arts of Broward Schools. This concert is for students only, who are bussed in as part of the SEAS Project.

WIJSF plan’s to present concerts like this one and Amazing Musicwomen in the tri-county area at libraries, schools, cultural centers, senior facilities, campuses and concert halls. The educational component of the organization hinges on The Business of Music, promotion and performance development for musical members and creating awareness in the community-at-large about the musical skills of women. For more information go to www.wijsf.com or www.wijsf.org and support women musicians!

Joan Cartwright is a doctoral candidate at Northcentral University in Business Administration/Computer Technology. She holds a Master's degree in Communications from FAU and is the CEO of FYI Communications, Inc. and author of several books on the history of jazz, women in jazz, the business of music, poetry, songs and more. Visit her websites: www.joancartwright.com and www.fyicomminc.com