Grammy Award-winning vocalist Lalah Hathaway will headline the 2024 Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival, returning Friday through Sunday, Nov. 8-10.
The series of concerts and accessory events features some of Southern California’s top jazzwomen for two nights of music at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater. The weekend celebration, billed as “a celebration of jazz + blues = soul!” kicks off on Friday with a meet-and-greet, poetry jam and open-mic night.
On Saturday, Hathaway performs two shows. Both sets feature opening act Jazz in Pink, led by musical director and pianist Gail Jhonson, before Hathaway takes the stage to perform signature hits like 2015’s “Angel,” the award-winning “Something” with Snarky Puppy, and “I’m Coming Back” from her eponymous 1990 debut album.
On Sunday, Divas of the Desert will close out the weekend by performing a tribute to R&B standouts Anita Baker and Roberta Flack. Motown Heroes and Legends awardee Blinky Williams rounds out the bill.
Jhonson takes on the role of music director for the festival after a lengthy career as a touring pianist. She was usually the only woman in the band.
“You know, there was a time when I’d say, ‘There’s got to be other women out here doing what I’m doing,’” said Jhonson. “I was on the road with Grammy Award-winning guitarist Norman Brown for many years, and I’m like, ‘Where are all the women?’ I would run into women vocalists, but never instrumentalists and certainly not music directors. I knew about different women who were producing and things like that, but not being instrumentalists on the road and playing instrumental music. So (Jazz in) Pink was a way for me to showcase other women.”
She co-founded the all-female, all-star jazz ensemble more than 16 years ago and has fashioned the renowned, collaborative group into one of the most sought-after all-female bands worldwide.
“You know, there was a time when I’d say, ‘There’s got to be other women out here doing what I’m doing.’ I was on the road with Grammy Award-winning guitarist Norman Brown for many years, and I’m like, ‘Where are all the women?’”
musical director and pianist Gail Jhonson
It’s a testament to the power of teamwork, she said. “We’re writing; we’re producing; you know, we’re more than just moms and carpoolers. We love what we do, and a lot of us are committed and educated as well. Coming from a family of six girls, it’s no wonder I would put together an all-female band.”
Jhonson recently completed a doctorate in education and leadership. She’s especially proud of that accomplishment, as well as her work to promote women in jazz. She said teaming up with the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival as music director this year is “very exciting.”
Sunday’s Divas of the Desert show will be a highlight, according to Jhonson, with names known on the local music scene. Headliners for the noon showcase at the Annenberg include Rose Mallett, Hope Diamond and Patrice Morris.
“We’re really trying to promote local women who are keeping jazz alive, not only in the desert, but across the country and internationally as well,” said Jhonson.
The PSWJF has become something of a juggernaut, annually drawing hundreds of music-lovers from around the region to Palm Springs. A few special events are still in the works, and updated locations and schedules can be found at the PSWJF website. Other planned excursions include a spa day at the Spa at Séc-he and a tour of the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.
Since 2013, the nonprofit Palm Springs Women’s Jazz and Blues Association has steered the jazz festival as part of its mission to preserve and foster an appreciation of jazz and blues music, and to support female jazz and blues musicians who traditionally struggle for recognition and employment.
The 2024 Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival takes place Friday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 10, primarily at the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 N. Museum Drive, in Palm Springs. Selected events are free. Tickets start at $69 for Lalah Hathaway and $75 for Divas of the Desert. For tickets and more information, visit www.palmspringswomensjazzfestival.org/2024-jazz-festival.
