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Mapping the Jazz Faculty Gender Gap
Jazz Times ^

Posted on 09/01/2025 5:55:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway

A new Berklee-sponsored study’s findings are ... not good.

Researcher Lara Pellegrinelli and students at The New School compiled data from more than 200 jazz education programs for the 2021-22 academic year. The study, which was published by the Berklee College of Music earlier this week, measures the imbalance of female-identified employment in higher education. The full report is available online.

The report — “Jazz Counts: Measuring the Jazz Faculty Gender Gap in Higher Education” — shows that out of more than 3,000 academic and staff positions, 15 percent were held by female-identified educators. That number decreased to eight percent for faculty focused on teaching an instrument, according to information from schools in 44 states and Washington, D.C.

“Until now, there has been almost no statistical data that allows us to measure the participation of female-identified artists in jazz,” said Pellegrinelli, who’s also reported on the music for a range of national outlets including JazzTimes. “I hope the leadership at institutions of higher learning will use the report to help create greater equity in the field.”

A few other notable pieces of information included in the study:

35 percent of schools have zero female-identified faculty members;

at institutions employing more than 30 faculty members, female-identified educators make up between six and 32 percent of staff;

13 percent of teachers are female-identified in composition, theory and improvisation courses, respectively; most female-identified faculty members hold adjunct positions.

Grammy-winning drummer Terri Lyne Carrington is the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, the academic program that sponsored Pellegrinelli’s research. The program explicitly explores how equity can be reached within the jazz world and how gender bias manifests within that ecosystem.

She told JazzTimes that the results weren’t a surprise.

“It’s been willful negligence because the culture needs transformation — both in the performance aspect as well as in jazz education,” Carrington said. “Everybody thought it was OK for some reason. This is what actually boggles me.”

Carrington added that there’s still more work to do, and intends for the study to be updated in the future.

“I don’t blame or judge people for not having thought [about the issue] earlier,” she said. “But you might stop to think: The music itself will not reach its greatest potential without more equity between the people that are creating it.” JT


TOPICS: Education; Music/Entertainment; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: dei

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Jazz could use all the help it can get, include female educators. What are they going to do, force the girls to take up jazz at gunfight?

Pay Taylor Swift to tell girls to play jazz?

1 posted on 09/01/2025 5:55:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

First world problem.

L


2 posted on 09/01/2025 6:00:02 PM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: nickcarraway

Your read it too fast, not “female”, “” female-identified “”.


3 posted on 09/01/2025 6:09:30 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: nickcarraway
The person who replaced ny teacher after he retired was a lesbian who did her doctorate on "Woman Composers."

If you look her up on RateMyProfessor, almost every comment includes "Hates men."

4 posted on 09/01/2025 6:13:10 PM PDT by real saxophonist (Michael Bennet claps on 1 and 3.)
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To: nickcarraway

A proper gender balance in jazz teachers is critical to the welfare of the country. (I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said that first.)

So hire more female jazz teachers. Or fire many male jazz teachers. Oh, wait. Maybe get some of the male teachers to identify as female. That will work, too.

I don’t care which option - or combination of options - is chosen. Just get ‘er done!


5 posted on 09/01/2025 6:15:56 PM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: real saxophonist

Did you pass?


6 posted on 09/01/2025 6:19:50 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: real saxophonist
If you look her up on RateMyProfessor, almost every comment includes "Hates men."

I wonder how many male jazz musicians didn't pursue a career in jazz because of their having her for a teacher.

My guess: zero.

7 posted on 09/01/2025 6:20:22 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: Leaning Right
That was a hilarious post! I cannot fully describe the smile you put on my face, but it inspired me to make this graphic!


8 posted on 09/01/2025 6:29:32 PM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est.)
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To: nickcarraway

Thankfully, she came along after I left. I would have transferred if I had to deal with her.


9 posted on 09/01/2025 6:34:09 PM PDT by real saxophonist (Michael Bennet claps on 1 and 3.)
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To: real saxophonist

Oh - And I did have a 22 year professional career.


10 posted on 09/01/2025 6:35:53 PM PDT by real saxophonist (Michael Bennet claps on 1 and 3.)
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To: real saxophonist

Just out of curiosity, what was the approximate breakdown of male/female students. Because what’s the point in having a teacher that hates a large portion of the class?


11 posted on 09/01/2025 6:36:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

As a whole, the Music School was probably 60/40 male to female.


12 posted on 09/01/2025 6:38:22 PM PDT by real saxophonist (Michael Bennet claps on 1 and 3.)
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To: nickcarraway

When I was in college (a long time ago) I took Jazz as an elective. Our lecturer was great Jazz drummer Kenny Clarke, who “lectured” by telling war stories from his years playing. It was fascinating. There were no “female identified” instructors. Our classroom instructor was Japanese, though, which was kind of an oddity - listening to him try to pronounce “Jelly Roll Morton” was special (and he joked about it). Having a female would not have enhanced the experience one bit. And I still like Jazz to this day.


13 posted on 09/01/2025 6:45:17 PM PDT by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite its unfashionability)
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To: rlmorel

Thanks for touching base. No here’s the interesting thing. Everything on the internet lives forever. So 20 years from now, someone is going to come across that quality image of yours, and believe it.

😀


14 posted on 09/01/2025 6:48:36 PM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: nickcarraway

“Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice”

Oh FFS. Some people just have to have something, anything, to complain about. And cash in on nonexistent problems.


15 posted on 09/01/2025 6:49:33 PM PDT by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower. )
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To: Leaning Right
Hahahahaha! I love that thought! This one really stuck with me:


16 posted on 09/01/2025 6:53:46 PM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est.)
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To: nickcarraway

This is so stupid.


17 posted on 09/01/2025 7:17:16 PM PDT by Bigg Red ( Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.)
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To: Leaning Right
Many years ago in San Diego, the owner of Hazard construction was accused of not having a racially diverse body of employees. He was told what was expected in terms of racial percentages. He called an employee meeting to explain the accusation and expectations. He noted to "fix" the racial disparity of his work force vs expections, he would have to fire a few black employees...he had "too many". It was a big middle finger to the accusers. He said that he wouldn't be making any changes and dismissed the meeting.
18 posted on 09/01/2025 10:04:09 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Some Fat Guy in L.A.
My aikido instructor was one of 5 original instructors sent to the US from Japan to teach. He spoke with a VERY heavy Japanese accent. It took a couple minutes to "tune" my ear to understand him. It was a great class. The following semester I was teaching an embedded microprocessor course that was scheduled at the same time as the aikido course. A disappointing development.
19 posted on 09/01/2025 10:09:21 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Leaning Right

” So 20 years from now, someone is going to come across that quality image of yours, and believe it.’

I will bet my firstborn AI will do exactly that.


20 posted on 09/01/2025 11:01:14 PM PDT by rxh4n1
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