by Christopher Hess

There's reason for concern. There really is no call for full-blown worry or all-out panic, but it is something to think about. The trend is there and the selection is a bit thinner than it ought to be, so there is some factual basis to the concern that has become the motivation behind the Women in Jazz Concert Series, which is that new and talented jazz vocalists are becoming a rare breed. The problem will be addressed in Austin on October 11th and 12th at the Live Oak Theater (at the State theater on Congress).

The program, which began in '89 as "Black Women in Jazz" under the Black Arts Alliance, declares as its main objective encouraging singers to take on jazz as their preferred vocal style and to foster the growth of jazz appreciation in people not familiar with the American tradition. A more immediate goal is to provide a venue to a talented group of female jazz vocalists who are otherwise not regularly featured in Austin. This year's show will not only showcase some of Austin's premier jazz singers, but will bring back Carmen Bradford, a former Austin resident and artist who left town thirteen years ago to travel as singer with the Count Basie Orchestra.

Pam Hart, the producer of the series as well as one of the performers, recognizes the fact that the majority of young female singers choose R&B, pop, rock, rap, and other more lucrative and visible musical genres as their field, their style. It is for this reason that she started the Women in Jazz series. "Jazz is harder to sing because of the freedom of phrasing and the improvisation that goes into it," Hart says, "so the number of singers is going to be smaller than in other forms. Younger people are interested in contemporary sounds, and right now that's R&B and rap. Mr. James Polk has said that jazz is a cyclical music, it comes back about every nine years." So the concern is only a temporary one. She adds with a laugh, "Betty Carter said that singers choose R&B to make fast money." Hart is quick to point out, though, that she does appreciate that style, even to the length of promoting it. The second night in this year's program will feature a variety of styles including R&B.

But the first night is reserved for jazz. "Friday night we're going to stick to the traditional, the standards," Hart says. And it is on Friday night that Carmen Bradford will take the stage. A review of her latest album, With Respect, states that Bradford "has a wise emotional maturity that extends well beyond her thirty-four years." Citing influences like Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington, Tony Bennett, and of course, Ella Fitzgerald, Bradford's ability and taste cover a broad spectrum. After touring with Count Basie for nine years and recording three albums with him (as well as with the likes of Herbie Hancock and George Benson), she began her solo career in 1991 with Finally Yours. Critics moaned that she had abandoned the big band sound of Basie's orchestra for a mix of blues, R&B, and funk, and that's OK with Bradford, who claims her true love is R&B.

This will not, however, keep her from sliding through classic jazz numbers with the James Polk Quartet (including Polk, John Mills on sax, A.D. Manion on drums, and Edwin Livingston on bass). Also performing Friday night will be LaMonica Lewis, who is new to the series this year, Tina Marsh of CO2, Mady Kaye, and Hope Morgan, who has been singing with Women in Jazz since it was founded. Saturday's lineup includes Hart, Julie Burrell, Karen Chavis, Connie Kirk, Willie Nicholson, and Sheila Sanders, who is also new to the series. These women will be performing jazz as well as blues and R&B with the Elias Haslanger Band, including the returning rhythm section of Manion and Livingston playing behind Elias' sax and Fredrick Sanders on piano.

A first reaction to this list may be to notice the lack of female musicians. There are a couple reasons for this. One, the focus of the shows is the singer, the individual jazz stylings of these female performers, and the important thing about the band is that they can play to each of them. Second, and closer to the unfortunate truth, is that there just aren't that many female jazz musicians available.

"The bands now are playing because they're good," Hart said. "We have to get a mix that works for all of the singers. These are the bands that the singers are most comfortable with, and we can't afford to have everyone bring their own bands. For the April show (the spring presentation of Women in Jazz on April 18th and 19th, also at Live Oak) we're putting together a female band. Heather Bennett will be playing the piano and Audra Menconi will play the drums, but we're still looking for a bass player."

An all-female house band would add a whole new dimension to the concept behind Women in Jazz, but for now, the focus is on the singer. To intensify this focus, a workshop will be offered Sunday, October 12th, from 9:30-3:00 at the Live Oak. The first half, which will concentrate on performance style, will be run by Mady Kaye and cover such topics as stage fright, communication with musicians, and vocal hygiene. At 1:00, Carmen Bradford will take the instructor's podium to share her knowledge of how to make it in the music business. She will address issues including management and talent agents, musician selection, commercial music, and will relate her experience of touring with Count Basie. The workshop is open to any singer who is serious about her vocation, or serious about making music her vocation, and is free of charge. For information contact Pam Hart at (512) 258-3414.