by David Hoffman
What’s a DIVA anyway?
According to Google, its simple! A diva is merely a term traditionally used to describe anyone celebrated as a highly talented female performer or fine artist — particularly in grand opera.
Does the name of Maria Callas come to mind?
But over time, yes, the term has evolved, especially in pop culture, and even in everyday life, as a colloquial term defining any performance by anyone who is “performative” — usually in the extreme.
Someone who in other words (sigh) requests, even requires, “special” treatment and acts entirely entitled to it! Right?
Sound like anyone you know?
Well, stop the music! Because no, that’s absolutely not the “DIVA” this review is about!
And start the music, because this review is about real divas. Five of them actually. The all-female orchestral jazz quintet collectively named DIVA. Founded 30 years ago by virtuoso percussionist/drummer Sherrie Maricle, currently resident in Philadelphia, with the other 4 virtuosi all based in the Washington DC metro area.
What “divas” the five presented last Thursday, at the historic progressive feminist Woman’s National Democratic Club, in DuPont Circle in Washington DC. The WNDC was founded in 1922 by suffragettes celebrating the ratification in 1920 of the 19th amendment to the U.S Constitution – which of course granted all women the right to vote, but as a practical matter excluded all women of color (take a short bow, Jim Crow, mainly in the South, then get thee swiftly behind us!).
The other four virtuoso musicians were ranked side-by-side on stage in the large ballroom, together for the first time at the Whittemore House, the iconic redbrick mansion on New Hampshire Avenue NW – home of the WNDC since 1927 – just one block from the DuPont Circle Metro Station. The passionate and hard-charging jazz ensemble DIVA! All five! Why aren’t they named DIVAS anyway?
No matter. Attention must also be paid to bassist Amy Shook, pianist Janelle Gill, slide trombonist Jennifer Krupa, and baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer! These are the remarkable musicians at peak bloom and they brought the toe-tapping top tunes of the historic big bands — notably Benny Goodman but many others absolutely.
In fact, the concert itself included the eponymous classic Goodman tune “Swing into Spring” as the concert itself was titled. And why not? After all, DIVA Is designed by Sherrie Mericle, and her “miracle” sorority sisters to be in the tradition of the historic big bands (Goodman’s and all the others, from the 1920s on).
The quintet have long since established a world-wide following as they girdle the globe playing on tours too many to list here, but including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and (ta dah) the Kennedy Center!
Whoops!
Actually, while DIVA has of course played at the Kennedy Center to enormous acclaim, recently DIVA canceled the Kennedy Center (not the other way around!). Why? Because of the egregiously bundled Trump takeover of the iconic Kennedy Center – the one named for a president a thousand times more presidential than the absurdist pretender to the current abhorrent regime, the orange toxic menace himself. You know, the one whose name rhymes with Dump.
And the Whittemore House resident National Woman’s Foundation, a non-profit and also fiercely nonpartisan organization dedicated to local education, cultural programs, and the preservation of women’s history, swooped down and enlisted DIVA to substitute for the very same date and perform instead for NWF and WNDC who together packed the Ballroom with throngs of adoring fans of the jazz quintet and their orchestral jazz virtuosity.
Readers, you simply hadda be there!
Words will never be able, except remotely at best, to capture the sounds of notes and chords and measures times five, in a quintet version of Einstein.
E=MCsquared. Where M stands for Music! Although the Masses were in the audience urging the quintet on – and on.
So why try here but then fail here. Music is Ineffable. My words would be merely “Effable”.
Or at most maybe Affable.
Finally, next up at the Whittemore House in the autumn will be another virtuoso, one Leah Claiborne, a remarkable champion for diversity in the arts, who teaches the work especially of Black composers. So mark your fall calendars, because on October 8, she will perform music by Florence Price.