"Black and white all-female big bands were popular on vaudeville stages in the 1920s and 1930s; some broke into the lucrative sphere of ballroom employment during the swing era, and some African-American women's bands became popular attractions on the black theater circuit. During World War II all-girl big bands entertained the troops on racially segregated USO circuits. A number of all-female groups survived the postwar years playing in nightclubs, and some white women found work in all-woman television bands in the 1950s. The tradition of all-female big bands was renewed in the 1970s." (New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, p980-1)
The following is a small representation of the many different types of ensembles that employed female jazz musicians. Information about many of these groups can be found at: "Females and All That Jazz: Big Bands Database Plus Homepage" http://nfo.net/usa/females.html
- Sophie Tucker's Five Kings of Syncopation, "first jazz band led by a woman"
|
1920s All-Girl Bands :
|
|
"The Great Depression was a period during which women musicians participated as pianists in men's jazz bands, as instrumentalists in all-girl bands, and as featured players of instruments." (New Grove, p. 981)
1930s
|
Saturday
Evening Post, 1936 |
|
1940s
|
|
|
|
1950s
- Tiny Davis's Hell Drivers (comprised of members of International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Darlings of Rhythm, and the Prairie View Co-eds)
- Vadel Quintet (from Virigil Whyte's big band)
- White all-girl television bands: Hutton's and Ada Leonard's bands
1960s-1970s
|
1980s-current
- Diva (led by drummer Sherrie Maricle)
-- TOP OF PAGE --
