The three-CD set features no less than 30 ladies on a total of 76 tracks, mainly with trio or quartet rhythm backing, and a few with small groups. In tune with current widespread re-evaluations of women’s commercial status and rights, the Frémeaux label has for some time drawn attention to historic undervaluations of female jazz musicians. The black instrumentalists, particularly, must have found their careers an uphill struggle in a milieu dominated by white males, often with deplorable racist attitudes. An album on this theme entitled Jazz Ladies 1924-1962 featured recordings by a range of instrumentalists on trumpet, trombone, saxes, piano and organ, plus all girl bands. The follow-up release focuses strictly on singing lady pianists. (...)
By Hugh RAINEY – JAZZ JOURNAL
By Hugh RAINEY – JAZZ JOURNAL
