Hep Girls. Chick Bands. Jazzgrrls. Each generation brings a new wave of inspired women instrumentalists trying to break the jazz ceiling. There are more female jazz players coming up than ever before, thanks to mentoring programs such as the Sisters in Jazz sponsored by the International Association for Jazz Education.
Yet the proliferation of women-focused jazz Web sites, books, discographies, archives, jazz festivals, workshops, radio programs and magazine articles seem to support the notion that it is still difficult for many women jazz instrumentalists to find meaningful performance, composing and recording opportunities. Certainly jazz fans can point to Toshiko Akiyoshi and Maria Schneider, who have achieved international prominence as composers and bandleaders. And swinging all-women ensembles such as Diva and Maiden Voyage bring crowds to their feet. Yet the average jazz audience is still surprised when a woman walks on stage as a side musician or non-vocal soloist.

Curious about what the scene is like for women jazzers in Europe, Windplayer caught up with Hazel Leach and Christina Fuchs, co-leaders of the United Women's Orchestra, a long-established group of 18 women who hail from four countries. One of the few bigbands in Europe that performs new and original compositions, their hallmark is an eclectic range of modern orchestral jazz reflective of their cultural backgrounds. "It's always hard to label your own music," Leach explains. "A nice word I hear a lot from audiences and critics is 'narrative.' I like it because it agrees with my own idea that a piece of music creates its own world in time and space- a story in which events unfold, as (in) the form, a solo, a dialogue- and keeps the listener involved until the last note."
The two tenor sax players met in 1992, at a big-band workshop for women musicians in Frankfurt, Germany, sponsored by women's organization Frauen machen Musik e.V. "I turned up at the first workshop with music specially written for the occasion," recalls Leach, a native of Newcastle, England who now resides and teaches at a conservatory in Arnhem, The Netherlands. "A 'call for music' had been placed in a magazine. I met Christina there, and since there wasn't a bandleader we agreed to share the position. We got on well, the sharing formula seemed to be ideal, and.. the rest is history."
Fuchs, from Cologne, Germany, was one of the organization's founding members. She started out with straightforward goals. "I wanted two things- to write for a large ensemble and to lead/conduct it." The workshop was so enjoyable for all of the musicians that they decided to found the United Women's Orchestra.
The ensemble currently rehearses two or three times per weekend. They hold additional rehearsals prior to a concert, where they typically perform two 45-minute sets. "New works have a priority," explains Fuchs. "We try to split up 50/50 Leach's and my pieces, what fits in the program dramatically." Leach states, "Our music is different to other big band stuff, and is an important motivation for many of the players in the band. Also, because it's original and improvised music, the band members have some say in how the music is played."

One of the biggest surprises initially to the co-leaders in conducting an all-women group was that rehearsals are much more democratic than those of other ensembles. Leach elaborates, "Everyone in the band is much more actively involved in discussing how the music should be played. This can be time-consuming! But the advantage is that each player ensures 100-percent involvement and satisfaction for herself. I was also pleasantly surprised by the willingness (of the members) to spend time experimenting with musical ideas."
Another bonus of working in a long-established group is that a network of smaller groups has sprung up within and around the United Women's Orchestra. "We have a double lineup and a vast array of subs collected over the years," explains Leach.
Reflecting on the importance of networking she says, "I think some women bury themselves in the women's circuit, perhaps out of insecurity? My advice to all women is to get out and work with everybody. A lot of men are good players and unprejudiced too!".
The jazz scene in Europe is similar in several ways to the American scene, namely negotiating enough money and having to explain how well-known you are. Fuchs reports she and Leach also have to answer the question, "Why an all-women band?" which perhaps is a positive sign that European audiences are becoming accustomed to seeing more mixed-gender jazz ensembles.
Leach believes that overall the jazz scene is changing in Europe, not declining or growing, "About 10 years ago there was more financial space for experiments and alternative projects. Recently, economic problems have meant cuts in venue-subsidies, making life hard for smaller places. This has meant a shift towards the majors- the big venues, the major labels, the huge festivals and commercial ventures. Life is definitely getting more difficult for all us 'wannabes." In Holland, at least, cultural cuts have been across the board. Jazz had less to lose in the first place (as compared to classical music), but lost it anyway."

On the plus side for European performers, Leach explains that European audiences tend to be more open to musical experimentation. "The main feature of the UWO is that we only play our own original music. We're not American, so we're not hindered by by "the jazz tradition", and are quite happy to mix elements from folk/free/theatre/classical music- whatever."
The mixing of influences is apparent when listening to the varied textures and colors that the two composers employ in their music, especially on their CD "The Blue One". For example, Fuchs' fusion-infused work Lydisch Blau is a hommage to the 20th-century artist Yves Klein, best known for his monochromatic blue paintings. Its Pat Metheny-type approach features Canada-based Christine Duncan vocalizing an arching melody in unison with trumpets. A Wimbledon fan, Leach's Tiebreak musically captures the ever-increasing pressure buildup in a tight tennis match with adventurous sectional scoring and four soloists who push the intensity of their solos towards the dramatic final chorus.
Fuchs observes that European audiences react to the UWO differently by gender. "If the audience is mainly female, it's very easy- too easy. If not, it gets tough- too tough." Regardless of the audience's gender mix, she feels that "people watch 200-percent" when they see a woman composer step up to conduct or perform.
Facing these subtle gender-related pressures together has created an air of true collegiality within the United Women's Orchestra. Notes Leach, "Because we're all women, there's an added confidence of knowing that any commentary on personal playing or technique is honest and unclouded by any sexist prejudice. We've all suffered from patronizing and/or discriminatory behavior in the past, so it's refreshing not to have to tolerate this. It's good to know that if someone tells you that you play sh** that they mean exactly that!"
Much like their American counterparts, European women jazz musicians are striving to perform at the highest professional level. Leach wraps it up nicely when asked to summarize professional possibilities for women., "I think that opportunities are growing, but mainy in the sense that there are less sexist-obstacles than there used to be. Women players now face the same problems and limitations as men do. It's hard for me to compare Europe with the USA as I have no first-hand experience on your side of the water. I follow the jazzgrrls discussions, and my impression is that it's more difficult for women in the USA. Audiences in the US seem to be more conservative than over here, making it harder for new approaches and attitudes in jazz to be accepted. I was amazed to hear Americans referring to our music as 'avant-garde'. In comparison to, for example, George Gruntz or Django Bates, we're actually quite mainstream!"
So, you go grrls. Take the jazz plunge. Women from around the world have already jumped in and, despite the challenges, it sure is rewarding and fun.