The effects of the #MeToo movement have also impacted the jazz world according to pianist Andrea Keller.
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"Women are, without argument, a minority in the world of jazz both here in Australia and more broadly," she said.
"There have been some standout women instrumentalists in jazz throughout its history - Mary Lou Williams, Geri Allen,Terri Lyne Carrington, Judy Bailey, Sandy Evans, to name a few - but I strongly feel that they haven't received half the recognition they deserve, or that their male counterparts have enjoyed."
Keller, who has established and composed for a diverse range of influential ensembles and will perform at the Zephyrs' Women do Jazz concert in Barragga Bay south of Bermagui this weekend, believes being a woman has both hindered and helped her throughout her career.
But she said an often-overlooked challenge is the experience of parenthood for female jazz musicians and how it is viewed differently to the experience of parenthood by male peers.
Zephyrs' Women do Jazz concert featuring pianist Andrea Keller and saxophonist Sandy Evans
- Sunday, October 20
- Four Winds, Barragga Bay
- 2pm
"As the mother of three, I have a hefty list of discriminatory behaviour (predominantly due to ignorance) as a result," she said.
"This hasn't made the agenda at all yet, but some major changes in societal thinking need to be addressed here.
"I hope a time comes when I will just be considered a musician (full stop) and not specifically a female musician.
"Unfortunately we're not even close yet."
She said not only has #MeToo given voice to women and brought to light many disturbing incidents of rife sexual harassment, it has also provided an enormous push within the community to be more inclusive of women in programming and other aspects of the industry.
"I've certainly noticed this in Australia and believe it's happening elsewhere too," she said.
"I look forward to seeing how our younger generation musicians are able to reach their full potential assisted by these increases in opportunities and exposure.
I hope a time comes when I will just be considered a musician (full stop) and not specifically a female musician.
- Andrea Keller
"Now is probably the best climate there's ever been to be a young woman in jazz - hopefully it keeps getting better and better!"
She said there was a fantastic community of young female jazz musicians in Australia who were energetic, optimistic, supportive of one another, aware, progressive and making great music.
"My advice is to surround yourself with people you respect and who treat you well, recognise the battles that are worth fighting and the ones that aren't, and just keep putting one foot in front of the other," Keller said.
This weekend, at the Zephyrs Jazz concert in Barragga Bay she will play alongside acclaimed saxophonist Sandy Evans.
Evans is a foundational figure in Australian jazz, leading a number of ground-breaking bands since the early 1980s and for many years exploring Indian classical music from her jazz perspective.
Keller's own music can be described as a blend of European lyricism with space and improvisation.
When it came to improvisation, she said sometimes she has an idea of where she should be in a couple of minutes, but other times she is just observing and waiting to see how things evolve.
"The element of spontaneity that improvisation brings to a performance can be both exhilarating and frightening," she said.
"I've come to revel in this feeling and appreciate, and even rely on, its vulnerability.
"As both a listener and a performer, you have to enjoy being in this state in order to really connect with the performance and the music."
At the Zephyrs concert she and Evans will perform their original compositions as well as one from a collaboration they made at the Sydney International Women's Jazz Festival a few years ago with German saxophonist Silke Eberhard.
"Playing with Sandy is a dream - I've looked up to her since my teens and she's become my hero on every level!" Keller said.
"There's so much excitement and power in her playing, it bubbles with energy and a myriad of emotions.
"These things feel contagious when you play with someone of that calibre, so the duo definitely inspires me to strive further than before."
Zephyrs, in partnership with Four Winds, brings the highest quality of jazz musicianship to the Far South Coast.
Women do Jazz will take place at Four Winds' Windsong Pavilion at Four Winds Rd, Barragga Bay on Sunday, October 20 from 2pm.
Tickets are $55 and can be bought by clicking here.