As a young musician, it never occurred to me that gender would be of any consequence in my musical development, but it has been incredibly impactful to discover a sisterhood of jazzwomen that spans generations and transcends genre, age, race, and class. We need role models of all kinds to “ignite” the drive to create. For that reason, it is important that the stories and music of these musicians and those to come are made accessible in a way that is balanced and aware. Fortunately, the discourse on jazz music and the people who make it is becoming increasingly inclusive, but we still have a long way to go. As a whole, this blog will serve as a platform to provide glimpses into the lives and work of the women who have inspired me in hopes of positively contributing to that discourse. This post in particular serves as an introduction to frame the research, and a survey of the literature related to the evolution of gender perception over the years. <a href="”> Read More…