THE JAZZ NETWORK ~ "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG"
Welcome To The Venus Revolution!
Profile Information
- Marital Status
- Single
- Where are you located?
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Tell us a little about you....
- Been singing and swinging this jazz thang for a long time. The myspace page will tell you a little about me! Check it out!
- How did you hear about the Jazz Network?
- Yahoo Atlanta Jazz Group
- Website:
- http://myspace.com/jazzyjace2002
About Me...
For as long as I can remember, I've had an up close and personal relationship with music. As a child, and now as an adult who is most thankful to be blessed with this wonderful ability to sing, music has always been a comforter, a friend and an oasis to which I can retreat whenever life's issues seem to wear me down. Even though singing wasn't my first choice of musical (I wanted to play a baritone sax), it certainly has become, for me, a most wonderful way to connect with the Divine.
Music effects me on a cellular level. I don't know if I can adequately explain the euphoria I experience when I've heard some harmony, lyrics, musical solo, a song or just given a great performance. There's no better feeling than when you know you've touched your audience and everyone has connected to the music. What a wonderful journey!
When I think of all of the opportunities that have come my way and the names of some of the people I've performed with, jammed with, recorded with, or just come in contact with, I am truly amazed! Having champagne and conversation with Carmen McRae where she advised me that being called a "B***H" wasn't such a bad thang, singing with Hubert, Ronnie, Eloise and Deborah Laws at Carnegie Hall and getting the mike, Frank Zappa, Tom Jones, Rita Coolidge, Gino Vanelli, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Buddy Williams, Francisco Centeno, Doc Powell, Mel Lewis of Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band (who was a mentor) and working with that band's rhythm section on various gigs in New York, sitting back stage with Count Basie before he, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass performed in Las Vegas showroom (he stroked my hand while I talked and talked), actually having a short conversation with Ms. Fitzgerald, who was extremely gracious, having Ms. Ruth Brown hear me sing and actually recommend that I take over her gig at Circus Circus while she performed in "Guys & Dolls" at the Alladdin Hotel in Las Vegas (what an honor!), meeting Flora Purim at the Villiage Vanguard for drinks, music and much laughter, singing with Bobby Caldwell, a magnificent writer, singer and now bandleader, singing with Vonda Shepard (of Ally McBeal fame), having a conversation with Mel Torme during one of his rehearsals (Detroit Symphony Hall), opening for Sarah Vaughn, Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, and the Jacksons, working with the rhythm section of Hiroshima (look for a colloboration with my first keyboard player and longtime friend, Kimo Cornwell, on my upcoming album), Jay Hoggard (the vibe player of life), Buddy Collete, Chico Hamilton, Milcho Leviev, Lisa Fischer, Emory Smith, Paul Brown, and so many more wonderful vocalists and players! The list continues to grow as I'm exposed to younger, versatile instrumentalists and vocalists who bring a new flavor to jazz. It is my desire to bring it all together on my upcoming CD.
Growing up in the Reno area, the musical influences were primarily country/western (I love Patsy Cline), and rock. I remember having a conversation with my mother about how much I disliked country/western music. She gently admonished me by saying that perhaps I could listen beyond the music and pay attention to the lyrics. She also stated that if I loved music, it might work in my favor to find something in all music I could connect with. Wise words! My jazz, rhythm & blues, blues and soul education came from the music my parents listened to and from listening to some of the soul stations coming out of California. I sang in church, in school and on through college. While in college, I had the pleasure of working with the Emory Smith (a man who stated he didn't like singers!) Paul Brown Quintet. There is nothing like on the job training! Having Emory and Paul as mentors so early in my professional life was a true blessing. My greatest connection has by far been to jazz and jazz music! Jazz is all at once simple and complex, controversial, educational, painful, joyful, all the colors of the rainbow...you name it, and jazz has it! There are many days a good song takes me places of meditation that confirm for me that music indeed does have charms that soothe the savage breast!
I look forward to swinging until I'm moved to the next level...a higher level of swing!
Music effects me on a cellular level. I don't know if I can adequately explain the euphoria I experience when I've heard some harmony, lyrics, musical solo, a song or just given a great performance. There's no better feeling than when you know you've touched your audience and everyone has connected to the music. What a wonderful journey!
When I think of all of the opportunities that have come my way and the names of some of the people I've performed with, jammed with, recorded with, or just come in contact with, I am truly amazed! Having champagne and conversation with Carmen McRae where she advised me that being called a "B***H" wasn't such a bad thang, singing with Hubert, Ronnie, Eloise and Deborah Laws at Carnegie Hall and getting the mike, Frank Zappa, Tom Jones, Rita Coolidge, Gino Vanelli, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Buddy Williams, Francisco Centeno, Doc Powell, Mel Lewis of Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big Band (who was a mentor) and working with that band's rhythm section on various gigs in New York, sitting back stage with Count Basie before he, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass performed in Las Vegas showroom (he stroked my hand while I talked and talked), actually having a short conversation with Ms. Fitzgerald, who was extremely gracious, having Ms. Ruth Brown hear me sing and actually recommend that I take over her gig at Circus Circus while she performed in "Guys & Dolls" at the Alladdin Hotel in Las Vegas (what an honor!), meeting Flora Purim at the Villiage Vanguard for drinks, music and much laughter, singing with Bobby Caldwell, a magnificent writer, singer and now bandleader, singing with Vonda Shepard (of Ally McBeal fame), having a conversation with Mel Torme during one of his rehearsals (Detroit Symphony Hall), opening for Sarah Vaughn, Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, and the Jacksons, working with the rhythm section of Hiroshima (look for a colloboration with my first keyboard player and longtime friend, Kimo Cornwell, on my upcoming album), Jay Hoggard (the vibe player of life), Buddy Collete, Chico Hamilton, Milcho Leviev, Lisa Fischer, Emory Smith, Paul Brown, and so many more wonderful vocalists and players! The list continues to grow as I'm exposed to younger, versatile instrumentalists and vocalists who bring a new flavor to jazz. It is my desire to bring it all together on my upcoming CD.
Growing up in the Reno area, the musical influences were primarily country/western (I love Patsy Cline), and rock. I remember having a conversation with my mother about how much I disliked country/western music. She gently admonished me by saying that perhaps I could listen beyond the music and pay attention to the lyrics. She also stated that if I loved music, it might work in my favor to find something in all music I could connect with. Wise words! My jazz, rhythm & blues, blues and soul education came from the music my parents listened to and from listening to some of the soul stations coming out of California. I sang in church, in school and on through college. While in college, I had the pleasure of working with the Emory Smith (a man who stated he didn't like singers!) Paul Brown Quintet. There is nothing like on the job training! Having Emory and Paul as mentors so early in my professional life was a true blessing. My greatest connection has by far been to jazz and jazz music! Jazz is all at once simple and complex, controversial, educational, painful, joyful, all the colors of the rainbow...you name it, and jazz has it! There are many days a good song takes me places of meditation that confirm for me that music indeed does have charms that soothe the savage breast!
I look forward to swinging until I'm moved to the next level...a higher level of swing!
INSPIRATIONAL CORNER
Uncle Hugh 'Peanuts' Whalum is my 80 year-old uncle who has FORGOTTEN more about jazz than I've even learned yet! He released his CD "Introducing Hugh 'Peanuts' Whalum" after gigging in the St. Louis scene for over 55 years! Needless to say his voice, his saxophone, his piano... like a fine, aged Merlot. His energy?! I dare not try and keep up. I'm on stage falling asleep by the time he gets going good – cut from a different cloth. Arnette, Coleman, Hamp, Hank... fine cloth.
Why do I bring them up? Because they represent something really important that we now get to enjoy, like they did back then, but now through technology on sites like this, that we've been missing.
The good news, since family – in this case JAZZ FAMILY – and relationships are much more important, more fulfilling... is that I feel RICHER knowing and following you guys music on THE JAZZ NETWORK!
Sincerely,
Kirk WHALUM
www.kirkwhalum.com
"Congratulations on your creativity, energy and dedication to Jazz, knowing and have worked with your Dad ~ its all in the genes".
~Clem De Rosa
Professional Musician, Educator, Arranger, Composer and Band Leader
Birthdays
Birthdays Today
ADVERTISE YOUR ARTISTRY, BUSINESS OR EVENT HERE ON THE JAZZ NETWORK!
Give the gift of some of The Jazz Network Members music for the Holidays!!
Just click your favorite artist, its as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4!! :-)
Available on iTunes and www.fredricklevore.com
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The Jazz Network Holiday Promotion offers its members a spot on the front page to display your CD cover for immediate click-thru for purchase for holiday gifting! Feel free to contact Jaijai for details for now is a good time to start promoting Holiday sales!
If you have interest in having a featured spot, want to be spotlighted, promote a 'gig' or CD release party with a flyer or banner, stream your gigs live from a venue worldwide, give a shout-out for any reason ~ post a press release...have a business we should know about?... or even a "sneak peek" of your upcoming release? How about managers looking for artists, or indie labels looking for submissions...This is the place to do it!
Jaijai is also making herself available to help you promote your artistry with marketing tips that will take you to the next level.
If you are interested in becoming a client, please let her know.
If you want your page designed with your CD cover and special slideshows, or that 'extra special touch' Jaijai will also lend her design skills to those that want that 'extra splash' to their pages.
Contact her here on the site to discuss your creative thoughts!
Happy Networking!
:-)
Artwork courtesy of Jeff Laibson
SPOTLIGHTED ARTISTS
Finding THE JAZZ NETWORK has been an amazing experience for Musique Noire. The opportunity to not only gain exposure among the jazz community, but to also learn and network with others in the jazz world has been invaluable. It is a place where we are all treated equally, whether one is a major label act or an indie artist, whether one plays traditional jazz or any of the "branches" of the jazz Family "tree".
Musique Noire is honored to be spotlighted here and are deeply grateful to Jaijai for creating this wonderful world. We're here to stay!
~ Musique Noire
Jaijai, what a wonderful mission you've undertaken to create such a place for artistic minds to meet and share their hearts. A place to renew faded determinations, and revive lessened momentums. A place to display our wares and reconfirm to one another that we actually are on the right track.
I commend you, Jaijai, for caring so much that you created this castle of the heart for all of us. I want to share my praise for all of the new friends as well as old friends that I've met and will meet here in our castle. Here we can garnish the where-with-all, the strength, the conviction, and the selflessness through our symbiosis, to share our gift to the world with an unbiased agenda.
My mentor, Daisaku Ikeda says of art: "A beautiful flower delights and refreshes the hearts of all people equally, no matter what soil it grows in. That is the power of beauty. The same is true of great art. It is this spirit that the German poet Heinrich Heine sang of when he wrote that once the peapod bursts open, the sugar peas inside are for everyone to enjoy."
Let's be audacious, my friends!
Buster Williams
"It was a pleasure to be featured on the Jazz Network Main Page. This Network is a unique forward step for independence, contact and conversation between artist, promoters/agents and fans.
Thank you Jaijai for offering a professional meeting place. I've met new musicians and rediscovered old friends I haven't seen or heard from in years. May we all continue to expand this network.
~ Will Calhoun
"I think that what Jaijai Jackson has done with the Jazz Network shows how the eternal love for this music is passed down from generation to generation. The fire her father lit in her has burned brightly and has inspired her to pass this torch on to future generations. I'm very proud to be featured and I'm very happy that Jazz has a voice and spirit like Jaijai looking after it."
~ Ron Kearns
I am so honored to be on The Jazz Network with so many wonderful and dedicated musicians. Jazz is the truly American art form and as I travel to other countries I find that their appreciation for jazz is really uplifting. There are so many excellent jazz musicians around the world now and The Jazz Network is helping us to find each other. Thank goodness for people like Jaijai who have dedicated so much time and effort to keep the jazz community together and for opening doors to us that we may never have found.
Regarding education in jazz, having done Master Classes in many places I find students need to take time and learn from the Masters and LISTEN. They should go back in history to appreciate ALL styles of jazz and its development. They need to learn melodies and lyrics (yes, even instrumentalists need to know lyrics) and that jazz is not just a series of modes and riffs. I think The Jazz Network can be an excellent tool for that also.
Thank you Jaijai...you are awesome!
~ Lenore Raphael
"Thank you Jaijai for creating a space for the likes of me! I truly enjoy being featured here and really hope it can give me new contacts and opportunities.
Keep up the good work!"
~ Patrick Rydman
Sweden
"The Jazz Network has come into being at just the right time. I believe that we are forever in need of spiritual and artistic enrichment and the way I see it, music, particularly jazz music, is all about the spirit. The Jazz Network allows us to reach out to our fellow artists across the world, in a way that has not been seen before, enlightening us as to who's out there making hip and happening music and helping to shape the culture. Whether artists approach this music from traditional perspectives or attempt to create new and radical sub-genres of jazz, the Jazz Network
is providing exposure, performance and recording opportunities that we might never have found on our own.
The Jazz Network is an amazing resource for the Jazz community. I'm
honored and happy to be a part of it.
Jaijai, thanks for your faith and what you're doing for the jazz community"
Best,
Nicolas
It’s a rare occasion when you meet someone who you feel a real connection to … Someone who possesses a kind spirit, unyielding generosity and a dedication to the jazz community beyond expectations.
Jaijai, thank you so much for creating such a fantastic website for the jazz community. You’ve helped artists connect with each other around the world.
I’m proud to have The Jazz Network be the first site to promote my latest recording. Words cannot express my gratitude to you for your dedication to the music and the artists.
With much love and gratitude,
Denise Donatelli
Hi Jaijai,
Stopping by to show you some love and tell you just how much I appreciate all you've been doing here, not just for me but for this incredible community of jazz musicians. I see that The Jazz Network is growing in leaps and bounds daily and want you to know that I recognize the importance of what's going on here, musicians having a place to connect with each other, young musicians having a place to meet and be mentored by musicians who have been around the block. You've created a beautiful space here and it's obvious that folks are feeling very much at home. Thanks for sharing your time, your heart, your soul. This is a huge commitment and you've taken it on with such determination. I wish you and The Jazz Network continued success and support you in all you're doing.
~ Marcus
© 2008 Created by Jaijai Jackson aka. "Woman of Jazz"
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Hello Jace, hope all is well. Just wanted to share one of my latest paintings with you,.............enjoy.
It is my pleasure to make your aquaintance. Thanks for being my friend.
Tom
And I hear ya about wanting to put up some music that truly "represents", I'm in that boat with you!
Also, you may wish to check out the site of my good friend, in Hawaii, Ginai. Also, another great Hawaii homegirl is here, Keahi Conjugacion, and I'm hoping to entice Sonya Mendez, onto the site. I wonder if Azure or Tennyson will jump in, as well. Aloha......
Good to see you, if only "virtually"....
Can't wait till you post some of your great singing here...
Keep swinging...
glitter-graphics.com
Yes we are very blessed. I also love Ivan Lins. Such a passionate singer & songwriter.
And I love what you said about 'champagne with Carmen'. A great reminder that we are all on own sacred journey no matter what anybody else tries to tell us.
Take care, Jace. Lovely to have you as a friend.
Diane
It's great meeting more of Atlanta's musicians & vocalist on TJN. We're on the Yahoo group together.
Best Regards, Evette
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