Unladylike Big Band and MNM Present: BIJF Opening Party
Saturday, October 21st @ The Clubhouse (Moorooka)
Unladylike Big Band and MADE NOW MUSIC are ecstatic to be launching the 2023 Brisbane International Jazz Festival.
With a massive lineup including TALKIN’ JAZZ WOMEN'S WORKSHOP BAND, HUDA THE GODDESS AND REUBEN LEWIS launching their debut EP, UNLADYLIKE BIG BAND and welcoming home KRISTIN BERARDI to launch her latest solo album - this concert is going to be a one-time-only event not to be missed.
The 17-piece Unladylike Big Band will make its debut as part of the Brisbane International Jazz Festival performing a selection of compositions and arrangements by women throughout history and contemporary composers including Australia’s very own Gemma Farrell, Louise Denson, Judy Bailey and members of the band itself. This is a collaboration of some of Australia’s finest musicians such as Martha Baartz, Peta Leigh Wilson, Helen Russell, Kayleigh Pincott, Ange Santamaria, Grace Mary King, Sharon Nobs, Cassie Whitehead and Bec Scolnik, so you won’t want to miss this special show.
The Unladylike Big Band showcases, encourages and empowers women in the jazz community. While less than a quarter of all professional jazz musicians worldwide are female, Queensland’s only professional big band comprised entirely of women and led by women bridges this gender representation gap. The band exists as a platform for the historically ‘unladylike’ act of performing jazz music on instruments that may have stereotypically been thought of as masculine.
While there are many grievances surrounding the lack of women represented in jazz, we cannot ignore those who are already there. We instead choose to celebrate and recognize those women who have paved the way for the generations to come. Women can play jazz and their voices are valid and important but without other women to look up to, many young women are opting out of music careers before giving it a chance.
