Sheroes

Performance recorded on 11/11/21

SHEROES. Created and led by pianist/composer/educator Monika Herzig, the all-female, all “first–call” talent group features a cast of international virtuosi; including Leni Stern (guitar, Germany/ USA), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet, Canada/ USA), Ada Rovatti (saxophone, Italy), Jamie Baum (flutes, USA), Reut Regev (trombone, Israel/USA), Jennifer Vincent (bass, USA), Rosa Avila (drums, Mexico) and Mayra Casales (percussion, Cuba/ USA)

Awarded the prestigious Jazz Journalist Association’s “JAZZ HERO” award for the city of Bloomington in 2015, Monika also won the Down Beat Magazine Award, Best Original Song (1994) and has received grants from the NEA, the Indiana Arts Commission and MEIEA, among others. As a Doctor of Music Education at Indiana University, she serves as a Senior Lecturer in Arts Management and has also authored two critically praised books.

As an ensemble of empowerment, SHEROES is a musical force, operating with deftness, invention, enthusiasm and ambition. Herzig does much of the writing and arranging, but Regev, Baum, Vincent, and Stern equally contribute compositions alongside covers, including “House of the Rising Sun” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” prompting Valerie Simpson, its composer, to write “I honestly really, really liked it,” and jazz producer/musician and women in Jazz advocate Terri Lyne Carrington to write “a brilliant project…soulful and thoughtful, it captures the spirit of this group because there’s no stopping great artists from making great music as demonstrated by this stellar recording.”

SHEROES not only heralds an era of greater and deeper consideration for women in jazz but as Jazz Journalist Association President, Howard Mandel affirms in his liner notes, “That’s exactly what Monika and company does: Present a model of empowerment with results that are good for everyone.  Wherever you are on the gender continuum, you’ll like it. SHEROES make music!”

Streaming cost is $15

Donations are welcomed.

“The jazz supergroup of the year is right here – SHEROES!” – HOWARD MANDEL, Author/President of JJA

“…Herzig herself is a visionary artist and educator, a true jazz warrior with an already fascinating career.” – BOB BLUMENTHAL, Award Winning Journalist

“Each song is engaging, the playing accomplished and inspiring.” – JAZZIZ

“SHEROES is a brilliant project involving some of my favorite musicians, spearheaded by Monika Herzig. It is soulful and thoughtful. I especially love their take on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough“– it captures the spirit of the group because there is no stopping great artists from making great music, as demonstrated on this stellar recording. – TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON

“Didn’t expect to hear this treatment of my own song. So nice to be able to honestly say I really, really liked it! – VALERIE SIMPSON (on SHEROES “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”)

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1CRD2AhwuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARuSOxWvIg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGjClfZIdGI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7xqecTqT3Q