Jazz Musicians - why are they all men?

[ageingdisgracefully]

I'm not sure if this is a silly question or not, so apologies if so.

I've just taken up jazz piano. I took piano as a child, as did many of my (girl) friends. Most of DD's (girl) friends are learning whilst the boys seem to be doing other things.

I do a lot of background research, listening to and watching music on youtube. With the exception of Diana Krall and maybe one or two others, they are all men. There's Duke, Louie, Benny, Oscar, Jelly Roll, Fats, Jamie, Jules, Keith etc but hardly any women at this level. Why do you think this is, given the amount of girls learning music?

I'm not talking about singers here, incidentally, but musicians, and particularly pianists.

orsinian - I've never heard of this lady, and I'll look her up. Perhaps she's the exception that proves the rule!! That book sounds an interesting read.

My interest in this topic was promted by a book I have on jazz piano theory, in which, of about 200 contributors, only one was a woman!!

This is very slightly off topic, but there's a new archive of women's liberation music - bands, musicians, songwriters etc who were part of the "second wave" of feminism from the 60s on. Lots of jazz musicians there!

billy tipton was a jazz musician and band leader[american-30s/40s i think]
when billy died it come to light that he was actually she.
some say that she was "trans"but others say that this was the only way that she could get ahead in her field at the time.
i believe she died because she was unable to get help for a illness as she was frightened of being"found out"-sad!

Thanks both - most interesting!!

amy winehouse, would you consider her? 5 grammys, a voice to die for and surely a modern legend.

Thanks. Can't believe this thread is still going on!

Good thread. I'm a fan of Winifred Atwell. She was a genius and the highest paid piano star of her time. Amy Winehouse doesn't come near - she is a singer and not a virtuouso instrumentalist like Winifred.

I don't think it is to do with sexism. There are less stellar musical geniuses among women. I'm not sure why that is. Promoters would promote them even more, because they are rarer.

Jules Holland is a child in comparison

claig: Just been watching Winifred Attwell!!

isn't she fantastic!!!

[whispers] Because Jazz is rubbish and most women have more taste? mmmmmm niiice.

Winnifred Attwell was wonderful but I wouldn't really categorise her as Jazz as such. I still have old vinyl ep's of her that belonged to my mother who was a fan.
It's blues more than jazz but has anyone listened to Memphis Minnie? She wrote "When the levee breaks" and the original recording from the 20's is spine tingling. Great guitar player too.
Curiously, country music which is pretty old fashioned has always enjoyed a proliferation of really good female artists.

Yes you are right; Winifred was a blues style artist, but she was also capable of other styles. Memphis Minnie is great, as is the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

We have long been told by liars and progressives that the Devil has all the best tunes, but Sister Rosetta disproved that. When she played guitar, she sent the Devil packing, carrying a copy of the Guardian, right back to where he belongs. He subsequently invented Satanic Rock and Death Metal in an attempt to combat Sister Rosetta's message, but not one of his evil minions can play guitar like Sister Rosetta. Praise Be!