Two more Women In Jazz interviews for March...

Next up, I'll be interviewing two extremely creative musicians for the Women In Jazz book project, trumpeter and composer Samantha Boshnack and trumpeter and composer Nicole Rampersaud. Both are at ease is a variety of musical idioms, including jazz, free improvisation, and contemporary composition. They've each developed their own unique vernacular, and the scope of their respective projects is a bit overwhelming. And really, they're both just getting started. It may be that they're not so much redefining what it means to play jazz, but simply playing what jazz is in the 21st century.

Nicole Rampersaud

Toronto-based trumpeter, composer, and educator Nicole Rampersaud's has played with some incredible artists, including Anthony Braxton, Bob Brookmeyer, Evan Parker, Rakalam Bob Moses, Joe Morris, and many others. She performed in the New York premier of Anthony Braxton's Composition #103 for Seven Choreographed and Costumed Trumpets with Braxton conducting. Her upcoming projects include a recording of compositions for her quintet co-led with saxophonist Evan Shaw to be released on Barnyard Records.

Samantha Boshnack (photo by Daniel Sheehan)

Keyboardist, composer Wayne Horovitz has this to say about trumpeter and composer Samantha Boshnack: "Sam’s music is a blast, sometimes literally. She plays with all her heart and her projects are always about pushing herself, without a lot of concern for what’s “important” right now or where the “envelope” is. That’s something I admire in an artist. There are a lot of musicians in (Seattle), but Sam is a musician and an artist."

Boshnack leads to ensembles dedicated to performing her compositions, the Sam Boshnack Quintet and the truly awesome "alternative chamber orchestra" B'shnorkestra.

There's a lot more to be said about these two, but for the book, I will let the musicians do the talking. As always, thanks for your support of this project.