Events
Women in Jazz South Florida to Host Inaugural Music Woman Festival in Atlanta
Three-Day Event to Feature Renowned Female Jazz Musicians, Family Fun Day, Panel Discussions, and Open Mic Sessions
Atlanta, GA – September 16, 2024 – Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. (WIJSF) is set to launch its highly-anticipated Music Woman Festival in Atlanta this October. Over three days, internationally celebrated female jazz musicians will take the stage, while attendees enjoy workshops, panel discussions, and interactive performances. This groundbreaking event marks the first in a series of festivals planned across the U.S., shining a spotlight on women’s contributions to jazz.
A press conference for the festival will be held on Tuesday, September 17 at 4 PM at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, located at 504 Fair Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30313.
WIJSF, a nonprofit organization with over 400 members in 29 states and 22 countries, has long promoted women musicians through multimedia platforms and global events. The Music Woman Festival is the latest extension of this mission.
“We’re thrilled to host our very first Music Woman Festival in Atlanta, the first of many to come,” says Dr. Joan Cartwright, WIJSF’s founder and executive director. A noted composer and retired jazz performer, Dr. Cartwright explains, “Since 1997, WIJSF has worked to uplift women jazz musicians, many of whom are hidden gems in the $40 billion international music industry. It’s long overdue for these artists to receive the recognition they deserve.”
The festival, running Thursday, October 17 through Saturday, October 19, 2024, will offer a diverse lineup of activities spread across multiple venues in Atlanta. Attendees can enjoy an Open Mic session on October 17 at The Core in East Point, GA, a Kick-Off Party on October 18 at The Atrium Event Center in Stone Mountain, GA, and a Family Fun Day on October 19 at New Black Wall Street, before the main event from 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM at HJC Bowden Center in East Point, GA.
The festival’s headlining performances will include jazz luminaries such as flautist and WCLK-91.9FM Radio Personality Ragan Whiteside, vocalist and keyboardist Carol Albert, South Africa’s JCFI Music Ensemble, bassist Kim Clark, and vocalists Rita Graham and Chrystal Doomes, among others.
The event is backed by prominent sponsors including MusicWoman and MusicMan Magazine, Jazz 91.9 Radio, the City of East Point, Atlanta Black Chamber of Commerce, and Music Woman Radio, among others.
“WIJSF has been dedicated to showcasing the extraordinary talent of women jazz musicians for 16 years,” says Mimi Johnson, WIJSF’s president and daughter of Dr. Cartwright. “Through the Music Woman Festival, we aim to address the gender disparity in jazz, bringing these women into the spotlight, not just in Atlanta, but around the world.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Music Woman Festival Eventbrite. Learn more about Women in Jazz South Florida at wijsf.org.
