March is Women's History Month, Women in Music Is Timeless!

Celebrating Women in Music

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH—This month, ILIO celebrates Women's history month with a curated playlist to honor women from all facets of music. The range of this playlist includes film composers, instrumentalists, and pop artists of various genres. Women continue to contribute to a beautiful legacy in music.

Listen on:

Women in jazz have genuinely shaped the genre. It is unimaginable to consider what jazz would be without the artistry of Ella Fitzgerald. She toured with scatting and a refreshed vocabulary of vocal phrasing that was instantly praised in society. Her duets with Louis Armstrong are truly an American treasure.

There are also countless unsung heroes of women in jazz. For example, Mary Osborne was a phenomenal jazz guitarist who transcended as a staple of the male-dominated instrumentalist realm. She would play alongside Coleman Hawkins, Mary Lou Williams, and Dizzy Gillespie.

Both Ella and Mary are a few of the many women who paved the way for Esperanza Spalding. She is both a brilliant jazz bassist and vocalist. Her self-titled project, Esperanza, released in 2008, showcases her artistry with the song "You Already Know" featured in the playlist.

Hailing from Ireland, we also feature the wonderful Enya Patricia Brennan, who goes by the stage name of Enya. Her music brings the tradition of pure vocals from the style of European church hymns melded with the sound of beautiful synthesis. Synth enthusiasts will find that you can hear the sounds of the Roland D-50, Yamaha DX7, and the Roland Juno-60 as part of her sound. Her music is very calm and soothing, as displayed in her song "Only Time."

Patrice Rushen is a multi-talented composer and R&B artist. Her record "Forget Me Nots" is such a certified hit and groove that many songwriters and producers have used it to make other records via sampling. Patrice has such a diverse career contributing to a wide array of genres of music and performances. Throughout her career, you could find her performing musical director duties for the Grammys or playing live on stage with Wayne Shorter. It's an honor to include her as part of women's history in music.

Women in music are surely appreciated, and we would like to celebrate that this month and beyond. Their contributions to music are truly endless. The 2022 Women's History Playlist will sonically take you on a journey through the musical legacy and experiences they have given to the world.