This week I have a special edition of Jazz Made In Australia which has been produced in anticipation of the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, taking place this year from the 2-13 November. The Festival was established in 2012 to create an annual world class festival with an emphasis on Women in Jazz. It presents international jazz stars alongside exceptionally talented local artists.

In first part of the programme, we hear from some of the Australian musicians who are performing in the women’s festival.

The second part of the programme is devoted to a new, 37 minutes Australian documentary titled Music Has No Gender. The starting point for the documentary is that while music doesn’t have a gender, musicians do. Sandy Evans, who has been described as a national treasure and awarded an Order of Australia for her contributions to contemporary Australian music, talks about her attempts in the early 2000s to give more opportunities for young women to study, play and make a carrer in jazz. We also hear from four young women who have participated in the initiatives Sandy helped develop: a drummer, a bassist, a saxophonist and trumpeter.

Music Has No Gender was produced, written, recorded and edited by Mick Paddon and is narrated by Jane Raffan who are both presenters at 89.7fm Eastside Radio, in Sydney.

All the music in the documentary is performed by the musicians who are interviewed: Sandy Evans, Jodie Michael, Ellen Kirkwood and, as members of the Sirens Big Band, Jess Dunn and &.

The programme will start with an artist who will be appearing at the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, bassist Hannah James with her quintet, the composition “Silver & White”.