Women Do Jazz

Last fall, I decided to explore the world of jazz because I wanted to engage with music in a different way, and because I wanted to navigate through the space of being an amateur again. I’ve stretched myself, I’ve been reminded of the joys that come with being an amateur, but it wasn’t until recently that I began to reflect on my experiences as a woman in jazz.

I found myself in dialogue with and reading about other women who have experienced the phenomenon of being the only woman in the room only to learn that we all have shared experiences of feeling like we aren’t being given a place in this genre. I saw a connection between our socialization of girls and the underrepresentation of women in jazz.

Roxy Cox, a jazz saxophonist, sums it up well in her article: https://roxycoss.wordpress.com/2017/07/15/never-enough/

As she said,

"What is jazz?

• Jazz is the American Art Form. Jazz is a Democracy. Everyone is supposed to have a voice in jazz.

• Jazz is a language, where everyone interacts and speaks up.

• Jazz is an art form where individuality and the individual is celebrated.

• Jazz musicians must exhibit strong leadership skills.

• Jazz is improvisation, encourages “imperfection” and creativity.

• Jazz is the ultimate expressive music.

• Jazz demonstrates risk-taking behavior.

Do any of these Jazz values sound like qualities that we encourage our young girls and young women to exhibit and explore?"

As an educator, it’s important to be aware of the social and cultural domains your students navigate. Likewise, in jazz, it’s important to understand that women have a lot of hurdles to jump over. I want to share my experiences to 1. bring awareness to implicit bias and 2. reassure women that though this terrain is not easy to traverse, you are not alone.

This journey began when a man at our weekly jazz nights made a misogynistic joke, rambling on and on about how “women don’t do jazz.” I made this playlist in retaliation. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2313hJMgSMpbCvsvWLYK4c?si=211aa614e8904357

After many a conversation about my experiences and discomforts, I decided that I should say something. Lou Marini was in residency and had a Q&A for the CMA, so I planned to ask a question about the underrepresentation of women in jazz. It took everything I had in me to muster the courage to speak those words, and I ended up getting quickly shut down and practically slandered for bringing up the notion of gender in jazz. But I didn’t ask that question to get a good answer from Lou, I asked the question because it was my opportunity to speak out on this issue and actually be heard.

So, for my thoughts on the matter.

I often find myself forced into a position of assimilating into jazz culture by way of leaving my identity as a woman behind, in the sense that I feel my female voice being silenced in place of adopting an air of “masculinity.”

Sure, once you get to the top these issues fizzle away, but I don’t want to get to the top. What if I want to do jazz for fun, not on a professional level, and—as a woman—be respected by men in the genre? Are they able to see through the woman to see the musician?

Saying that these issues don’t exist only further perpetuates them. Saying that people—musicians—are viewed based on merit alone is a blurry reflection of American meritocratic ideals. There are too many external factors playing into society for it to ever truly be a meritocracy. The same rings true for jazz. I can get attention via sexualization, but no woman wants that for herself.

Psychologically, physical perception can affect the way we’re perceived. It’s why I opt for blazers, heels that make me taller, and my iconic low bun. Why no one has seen Maggie with her hair down in months.

But instead of further assimilating into this culture, I want to find my own unique voice. I hope to use what I discover to empower other women, both here and in my future classroom.

Finding your own voice means being heard. I want to create a space for women to be heard. It’s impossible to truly be free when your defenses are up. It’s why it’s so hard for me to tap into musical freedom when I’m partaking in jazz.

Thank you to all the people who have engaged in conversations with me, and to those of you who have been supporting and encouraging me. Thank you for listening to me, and I hope these words are received well.

- Maggie