Honoring and continuing the tradition created by the great all-female jazz bands of the 1940s, Lesa Terry and the Women’s Jazz Orchestra (WJO) celebrate diversity in spirituality, ethnicity, and gender.  The WJO offers a unique interpretation of symphonic and vocal sacred music. Compositions by Mary Lou Williams, Margaret Bonds, Lesa Terry, and Kimberly Diaz draw on African, African American, and Afro-Latin genres, highlighting the importance of these cultural roots, and demonstrating the intimate connection between sacred music and jazz.  The WJO’s innovative instrumentation-comprised of Nedra Wheeler on bass, Maria Martinez on drums, Lori Andrews on jazz harp, and a big-band string section-fulfills a dual role, supplying both a rhythmic foundation and improvisational expression. Gospel singers Elaine, Francine and Janine Martin add tasty vocals to this fine blend of delectable distaff musicianship.