CLASSIC WOMEN!

Beatrice Nicholas performs Classic Women – Her Jazz Homage to the Pioneering Women Who Bridged Classical and Jazz

In her captivating concert Classic Women, Beatrice Nicholas celebrates the extraordinary legacies of Hazel Scott, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Dorothy Donegan, and Nina Simone—African American jazz icons who began as classically trained pianists. Denied entry into the classical music world due to racial barriers, these trailblazers carved their own paths, infusing jazz with the sophistication of classical technique.

Hazel Scott dazzled audiences with her signature "classical swing," reimagining popular classical works through a jazz lens. Nina Simone, whose love for Bach permeated her music, and Dorothy Donegan, who once confessed she would have chosen classical music over jazz if given the chance, both left an indelible mark on music history. Meanwhile, Lil Hardin Armstrong—Louis Armstrong’s second wife—not only shaped his career as a world-renowned trumpeter but also deepened his appreciation for classical music.

Classic Women is a mesmerizing fusion of jazz, classical, and genre-defying artistry. Beatrice is joined by international jazz bassist Matyas Hofecker and award-winning drummer Matt Home, creating an unforgettable tribute to the women who refused to be confined by boundaries.

PROGRAMME

Hazel's Boogie Woogie, Hazel Scott. Arr Beatrice Nicholas for jazz trio. 

Moonlight Sonata Mvt I for solo piano, Ludwig van Beethoven

Moonglow for solo piano, Art Tatum. Arr Jed Distler

Waltz in C Sharp Minor for solo piano. Op.64, Nr-2, Federic Chopin

The Finger breaker for solo piano. Jelly Roll Morton

East Town Boogie, Lil Hardin Armstrong. Arr Beatrice Nicholas for jazz trio. 

INTERVAL 

From The Spiritual Suite for solo piano, Margaret Bonds

-Valley of Bones ( with audience participation)

-Troubled Water

 Jazz Improvisations on Hungarian Rhapsody No.2, Franz Liszt.  

  Improvisation by Nina Simone. Arr Beatrice Nicholas for jazz trio. 

This concert is part of Black Voices Festival, sponsored by the Bedford Music Club.

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