The First 9 Years
2000 - 2008
What began as a benefit "Women in Jazz" concert in June 1998 to raise funds for women and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, evolved into the Instrumental Women "Lady Jazz" Concert Series produced for nine consecutive years (2000 - 2008).
The inaugural Instrumental Women Concert was presented to a sold-out 600-seat theatre at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in North Hollywood in May 2000. That concert was included in the year-end list of "Best Live Jazz Performances in 2000" by the Los Angeles Times. For the next eight years, IWP presented its annual Lady Jazz production as part of the "Summer Series at the (John Anson) Ford Amphitheatre" nestled in the Hollywood Hills. During three of the next five years, the production was lauded with the L.A. Times Calendar Section's "Best Bets" designation as the newspaper's recommended weekend jazz venue to attend.
IWP secured a combination of personal donations, along with grants and sponsor support from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, Wells Fargo, Miller Brewing Company, Target and KABC Channel 7.
Photo: Andrea Brown, drums; Vanessa Brown, percussions (Annual Lady Jazz Concert at the Ford)
2009 - 2019
During a hiatus from the large regional production, IWP continued to provide paid performance opportunities for women jazz artists at various community and private events.
We have raised funds to hire more than100 women musicians to perform in IWP Lady Jazz Ensembles for a number of fundraising events for Southern California nonprofits.
This included the production of an IWP Jazz Theatre Series at Sierra Madre Playhouse during National Women's History Month.
Photos: Lois "Lady Mac" McMorris - guitarist (Annual Lady Jazz Concert at the Ford); Ann Patterson -saxoophone (Promotional Reception for sponsors and other supporters at The Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, CA)
Jazz Theater Series
2010 - 2011
Video Clips
