13th Annual May 15 - 17, 2008

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• Cindy Blackman
• Terri Lyne Carrington
• Sheila Jordan
• Grace Kelly
• Sherri Maricle
• Keiko Matsui
• Sophie Milman
• Montclair Women's Big Band
• Vicki Randle
• Catherine Russell
• Helen Sung

For 13 wildly successful years, these concerts have presented many of the best jazz artists performing today. For these musicians, Mary Lou Williams has served as their inspiration to leave their mark on every aspect of jazz. For me, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie, she was the "First Lady of Jazz Piano." We all played and recorded her music. She honored me by using my song "It's a Grand Night for Swinging" as her theme song. And nobody did it better. She performed with Ben Webster and Lester Young, and was a mentor to Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and many others. As a pianist, composer, arranger, teacher, mentor, and humanitarian, Williams defied gender, race, and category with her inexhaustible gifts.

Mary Lou Williams once said, "If we are to make progress in modern music, we must be willing and able to open our minds to new ideas and developments." She showed many of us how to do that. From May 15–17, I invite you to join us in paying homage to jazz, America's original art form. Each evening features three unique sets of remarkable female jazz musicians performing with their own ensembles. These jazz pioneers keep the spirit of Mary Lou Williams alive!