Joan’s Feeling Delicious…
This week I sat down and had an enriching conversation with Jazz artists Joan Cartwright. Joan grew up in an atmosphere where Jazz was the expression of the day listening to those artists who were inspired to express a culture waiting to be birthed and so it’s understandable why Joan inspired in her music, writing, and teaching.
In our interview, I learned a lot about women in the arts, and she not only gives you some history but she also expresses a desire to bring women artist into the forefront by calling a symposium to bring awareness to the plight of women creatives.
Joan Cartwright is an American author and jazz, blues and pop singer and songwriter. From 2006 to 2009, she published nine books. She is the subject of an article published in the Fondazione Adkins- Chiti Women in Jazz Donne in Jazz. Her first recorded composition was ”Sweet Return” [Atlantic Records] in 1983, with Freddie Hubbard on flugelhorn and the Kool-Jazz All-Stars.
The next four original compositions were recorded on her debut CD, ”Feelin’ Good” {Tireno Records 1995), produced in Catania, Sicily with the Giovanni Mazzarino Quartet. Six original compositions were released, in on her sophomore CD ”In Pursuit of a Melody” (I AM Records 2006). Both CDs can be heard at CDbaby.com and myspace.com. – Joan Cartwright
Joan began singing at the age of 4. She studied piano with Gerald Price and harp with Caliope Proios, in Philadelphia. In grammar school, she played a tenor drum in the St. Clement Pope Marching and Maneuvering Band that won the State Championship, during her participation. Joan sang in the choir in elementary school and was a member of her high school glee club. She studied dance from the age of 4 to 8 with Bernice Johnson, wife of famed tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson.
At Queens College, she studied dance with Nigerian dancer and drummer, Dinizulu, for two years. For 10 years, she taught Creative Dance to youngsters at community centers in Tampa and Deerfield Beach, FL, at The Gathering in San Francisco, CA and at Communiversity of LaSalle College, in Philadelphia, PA, where she completed her B.A. in Music and Communications. in 1984, Joan relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she sang in most of the venues for jazz and appeared in numerous jazz and blues festivals from Jupiter to Miami, Florida.
In 2007, Joan founded Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization that promotes women musicians, globally, through events, concerts, performances, clinics, lectures, workshops, articles, interviews, newsletters, courses, contacts, research, history, archives, websites, film, audio and video recording, and recognition.
The organization is part of the Florida Jazz Network and has an archive of two years of online radio shows, documenting the music of female composers and males who support them in their musical endeavors. Joan produces community concerts with resident and national musicians and students from area schools. In 2010, she produced the Lauderhill Jazz Jam, Jamaica Hill Jazz Jam, Community Musicwomen and Amazing Musicwomen.
Take a moment to pull up a chair pour a glass of wine or coffee and listen to this delightful interview with Joan Cartwright. It is truly delicious.
VERTIKAL LIVE Radio with Host Celeste S. Duckworth
We propose to have a SYMPOSIUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS at The White House, in 2015, while President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama are in office. The purpose of this symposium is to bring together a panel of women in art, music, literature, theater, and film to strategize on how to change the paradigm of women being marginalized in the Arts.
Books by Joan Cartwright – Amazing Musicwomen – In Pursuit of a Melody – History of African American Jazz & Blues – Rhythms of The Heart
