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Jazz is Love: The Life and Music of Mary Lou Williams - A Performance by Deanna Witkowski
Join us for a special event that explores the life and music of jazz legend Mary Lou Williams, presented by acclaimed pianist, composer, and scholar Deanna Witkowski. Known for her soul-healing music, Witkowski’s work blends jazz, Brazilian, classical, and sacred music with remarkable depth and beauty.
The evening will feature a performance of Williams’ compositions, followed by a discussion of Witkowski’s biography, Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul (Liturgical Press). This book, which won the 2022 ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award and the 2022 Jazz Journalists Association Award for Biography of the Year, delves into the life and musical journey of Mary Lou Williams, a key figure in the history of jazz.
Deanna Witkowski, who recently completed her PhD in Jazz Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, has taught at Jazz at Lincoln Center, performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and is known for her expertise in Williams' music. Witkowski’s work continues to enrich both the academic and musical worlds, and we are excited to hear her insights and experience.
This event is free and open to the public, sponsored by the Canizaro Center for Catholic Studies and co-sponsored by the Duffy Endowment – Department of Religious Studies.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the powerful intersection of jazz, history, and faith through the life and music of Mary Lou Williams.
For more information about Deanna Witkowski’s work, visit deannajazz.com.
