Funders to approach for Palm Springs Womens Jazz and Blues Association Inc

Organizations primary purpose - to preserve and foster an appreciation of jazz and blues music and to showcase and support female jazz and blues musicians through affordable concerts with related cultural events and arts activities. We are dedicated to empowering the female presence in the arts by expanding the audience for these two important american music forms. Our signature event, Palm Springs womens jazz festival, has made a significant impact on Palm Springs, ca becoming one of the few recognized destinations for jazz and blues on the west coast, while the festival has become the only one of its kind that exclusively hires and promotes the work of female artists who make up less than 17% of the participants of jazz and blues festivals. Our concerts always draw an international audi ence. Since 2013 the pswjf has provided safe and welcoming venues for female jazz and blues musicians who have yet to receive the visibility, equitable treatment and professional performance opportunities they so clearly deserve. Line 28 - continued - in our 12th year, the festival opened 11/9/24 with two sets by singer, lalah hathaway, a five-time grammy award winner, and 10-time nominee, with vocal abilities matched by few. As daughter to the late, great donny hathaway, her music transcends genre - from soulful jazz to r&b ballads and pop standards. The esteemed dr. Gail jhonson and jazz in pink opened for ms hathaway. Dr jhonsons extroaordinary compositions and wizardry on the grand piano, and jazz in pink musical talent set the stage for an amazing evening. On 11/10/24, the spotlight was on the deserts very own divas of the desert, with a tribute to anita baker, roberta flack, and other jazz legends who have paved the way for todays vibrant jazz, blues and soul scene. Adding to the evenings splendor, motown heroes and legends awardee blinky williams who brought her unique flair and expertise to this celebration of musical excellence. - the divas of the desert included hope diamond, chris bennet, gennine frances, melba miller, patrice morris and debbi ebert. The festival showcased together a five-time grammy winner with local distiguished all-female jazz musicians and performers and introduced them to a new audience in the coachella valley. Fees to artists and local female contractors received over 70% of the festival budget. We gave complimentary tickets to students and underserved local communities. Line 29 - continued - international jazz day is a specially curated opportunity for new audiences to learn more about the global empowering history and legacy of female jazz musicians. Our 5th annual international jazz day celebration honored miriam makeba, who was one of the worlds most prominent black african jazz performers in the 20th century, who introduced to the world a unique blend of jazz-influenced balladry and rousing afrobeats, while using her voice for global social justice. This special and amazing tribute featured singer, jimetta rose, who is seen as a creative force of nature with firm roots in las burgeoning creative renaissance, and draws her inspiration from jazz, r&b, hip-hop and world music. The electrifying gail jhonson and jazz i n pink known for their fiery blend of jazz and soulful music, these festival veterans ignited our senses and feed the soul with amazing performances. Line 30 - continued - we sent to our (free) jazz club members (1,635 up from 635) links to female jazz and blues performances. The website includes music by women jazz and blues musicians, with music shorts, were posted on fb and website that included artists worldwide links to their performance schedules. The website also features a female artist each month. Line 31 - 2025 programming - for 2025, staying true to our mission, we will do our part to address the near erasure of classic, traditional blues music of female artists and their significant contributions to blues music. An american blues scene article cited music agent statitistics suggesting that female-fronted artists made up only 12% to 17% of touring talent, and that festival lineups were sometimes as low as 7% female-fronted. The evidence clearly shows that traditional female blues artists, especially black women, have historically been, and continue to be, underbooked relative to their male counterparts. Our programming will highlight female blues artists who helped shape the blues with masterly singers and musicians who play this music in its classic…