FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MONDAY JULY 27, 2015
CALL TO ACTION!!
The upcoming Monterey Jazz Festival (Sept 18-20, 2015) has (yet another) - ALL MALE HEADLINER cast of instrumentalists!!!!!! AGAIN!!!! With one exception: Geri Allen on piano. (Sheila Escovedo is performing as well, but not as a solo headliner.) There are about 4 female vocalists. Again. When the HELL are they going to GROW A CLUE?!!!!! Please join our campaign to draw attention to the outright exclusion of female jazz instrumentalists by TAKING ACTION in ANY of the following ways starting NOW & throughout August:
1) Tweet the following by copying & pasting in its entirety:
@MontereyJazz 2015 lineup represents #MalePlayersTakePriorityInHiring #FemalePlayersComeSecond
2) Write to them (send an email & copy us on it) with the following sentiment:
"You need to review your mission statement. YOU EXCLUDE female jazz instrumentalists as headliners for the most part. By doing this, you are actively participating in the old-boys club of sexism that the ACLU will learn about as they are now learning in Hollywood. Female instrumentalists have now and always have been extremely important as role models for the growth and representation of breadth in the jazz genre. Please address this immediately by vowing to increase the number of female instrumentalists as headliners by at least 30% for your 2016 line-up. #WeWantChangeNow #CantWait
Here's their email: jazzinfo@montereyjazzfestival.org
Here's ours: behindthecurtainproductions@gmail.com
3) You can call them directly and ask to speak to the festival promoters and just read out the speech above. The direct MJF line: 831.373.3366
4) Fax them if you like with a typed out version of the exact language above: 831.373.0244
Thanks for reading this. Please spread the word.
joey brite in Oakland, Ca.
ADMIN for Facebook Page: SUPPORT INCLUSION OF FEMALE JAZZ MUSICIANS
https://www.facebook.com/SupportInclusionofFemaleJazzMusicians?fref=ts
Also: https://www.facebook.com/LettheMusicGrow?fref=ts
