The meaning and politics of gender in jazz—it sounds like a topic that would be right at home on an Ivy League college campus. But this was no graduate seminar; it was a jazz festival. On March 19, renowned scholar/activist Angela Davis took the stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts to lead a panel discussion called simply, "Women in Jazz." The event kicked off a weeklong salute to jazz women as part of SFJAZZ's 2002 spring season, a counterpart to last year's panel and series on race relations.

In a ten-minute opening statement, Davis observed that although women can be found playing any instrument, in any genre, and at every skill level, they "continue to be purged from the jazz imagination, except as singers or piano players." She then pointed out the irony of the event itself: the mere title "Women in Jazz" implies a natural gulf between the two, in a subtle way perpetuating the very segregation we seek to eliminate. "We should remember," cautioned Davis, "that we tried the principle of 'separate but equal' once before."

As outlined by the five-member panel, the problems faced by female musicians start early. Bandleader/composer Maria Schneider pointed to the way little children are encouraged by adults: "When we [encourage] a little boy, we say, 'Look at what you're making! Look at what you've done! That's great!' But when we meet a little girl, it's 'My, what a pretty dress you're wearing.'" Pianist Mary Watkins expanded on the theme, arguing that society programs men and women differently. If women are raised to be demure and restrained, they can become too inhibited to express themselves fully. Drummer Susie Ibarra agreed, recounting her experiences with young players. As recently as a few years ago, she said, "a lot of young women would come up to me and say, 'I wanted to play the drums, but…'" It seems there is always a 'but.'

Once in the jazz world, a whole new set of macho attitudes can hold women back. The most serious is the persistent notion that women just can't play. Historian Sherrie Tucker, who provided much of the evening's spark, cited several examples. As Tucker explained, discrimination comes not only from the bandstand, but extends to the way jazz is seen by its chroniclers. "Women in jazz histories are present," Tucker noted, "but usually only to set up the story of the male hero." She also cited what she calls the "perpetual-phenomenon phenomenon." Look at any jazz magazine today and you're bound to find plenty of articles heralding the imminent arrival of women as equals in the jazz scene, with more and more women playing better and better music. But look at magazines from the 1920s, '30s, or '40s, and you'll find exactly the same comments. So what happened?

Watkins recalled something the great Mary Lou Williams once said, that she was "just a man in a woman's body." Williams seemed to believe that her own ability was an abnormal thing for a woman to have. This brings us back to the phrase "women and jazz." By starting with the notion that women are somehow alien to jazz, we have stigmatized them as a group. Combine this with the inevitable "old-boy network" that determines who gets gigs with whom, and the result is a world where women must constantly prove their worth, and aren't judged as true jazz artists or even as individuals.

Is there any hope? All five panelists think there is, and all said that they have seen a gradual improvement in attitudes over the years. But integration is a two-front battle. On the one hand, women must believe in themselves and their muse, and be unafraid to create their own opportunities if none are available elsewhere. On the other, it is way past time for men to stop posturing and start listening.

MUSIC FOR DEADHEADS?

When looking for a good jam session, the neighborhood mortuary is pretty low on most folks' list of happening venues. But San Francisco's Intuit Ensemble uses just such a space to good effect on their debut album, Reliance (available from Phasepacket Records).

The ensemble, a trio of sax (Brendan Rush Dance), drums (David Julius), and bass (Damon Lee), recorded the album at The Embalming Room, a small studio carved out of an old funeral home in the Mission District. The strange acoustics of the room are noticeable from the first notes, lending an odd sort of singing-in-the-shower sound, a kind of reverberated flatness. Depending on the tempo of the tune, the effect can be one of loneliness or claustrophobia.

The trio takes on nine standards in a crisp 41-minute set, mostly of the modern variety. "Beatrice," the Sam Rivers ballad that opens the CD, is given a lovingly lyrical and rather haunting treatment that demands a second listen. The other slow tracks on the album ("Easy Living" and "Autumn in NY") take on a last-dance feel with dragging brushwork on drums, heavy bass and a weariness in the sax playing. The uptempo turns (including two Coltrane numbers and Tadd Dameron's "Ladybird") have a more nervous edge. Throughout, the music retains a loose, improvisational feel based on rambling sax lines, off-kilter scales and understated bass solos, a mildly "out" sound that nevertheless stays close to the straight-ahead jazz concept. This middle ground between the mainstream and the avant-garde can be treacherous, but the Intuit Ensemble navigates it well. The album comes full circle at the end, with a cool version of "St. James Infirmary" that's so smoky it should be screened for emphysema.

Reliance is mood music for harried urbanites, and holds up well to repeated listening. The same can't be said for the Embalming Room: shortly after Intuit's recording session in December 2000, the studio itself passed away.

MONTEREY COUNTY'S "OTHER" JAZZ FESTIVAL

Jazz can be beautiful music, so why not hear it in a beautiful setting? That philosophy draws Bay Area music fans down to the stunning coastline at Big Sur every May for the Big Sur JazzFest. This year's event, which benefits art and music enrichment programs for the local community, features a strong lineup of big-name and local artists on the weekend of May 3-5. Brad Mehldau's trio will headline the festival.

On Friday night and all day Saturday, concerts will be scattered around the town at ten different venues. Among the highlights of the first two days are Bitches Brew at Fernwood (Friday, 9pm), guitarist Russell Malone with quartet at the Henry Miller Library (Saturday, 3pm), the Michael Zilber/Steve Smith group at Nepenthe (Sat., 5pm), and world-jazz group Wild Mango at the Hawthorne Art Gallery (Sat., 7pm). Admission prices vary by time and location. Friday night also features the Omar Sosa Quartet at Hidden Barn Studio, in a special benefit for Big Sur's volunteer fire brigade.

As always, the big draw is Sunday's seven-hour outdoor marathon at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Two stages will be set up, with the Mehldau and Sosa groups closing the evening in a piano summit that's sure to provide a tornado of creativity. Preceding this unique pairing are acclaimed vocalist Kitty Margolis in a quintet setting, along with Eric Person & the Meta-Four and the Scott Amendola Band. The second stage will offer the Big Sur Natives and guitarist Bruce Forman 's JazzMasters group.

Tickets and complete information are available through the Big Sur JazzFest website (www.bigsurjazz.org), or by calling 831-667-1530.

When Forrest Bryant isn't writing about jazz or trying to get Thelonious Monk elevated to sainthood, he can be heard on the Bay Area airwaves as the host of a weekly radio show called "No Cover, No Minimum" (on KZSU, 90.1 FM). He also spends too much of his free time looking for things to write about, so if you're a part of the Bay Area jazz scene, drop Forrest a line and let him know what you're up to.