M3 Musicians LLC (Mutual Mentorship for Musicians - Jen Shyu & Sara Serpa, co-founders)
Jazz Road Creative Residencies Grant Recipient
Recipient Information
Location
New York City, New York
Year of Award
2021
Grant or Fellowship
Jazz Road Creative Residencies Grant
Grant Amount
$40,000
About the Project
Mutual Mentorship for Musicians, a 26-member cohort led by Jen Shyu and Sara Serpa, has commissioned 24 women, non-binary, BIPOC members to create work during a 10-day residency w/video screenings, 24 performances over 2 nights, 12 workshops, symposiums, and action panels in partnership with the Winter Jazz Fest (NY) in multiple locations (The New School, Nublu, Berklee Power Station, middle schools in Brooklyn).
Residency Location
New York, NY
About the Artist
Jen Shyu bio (Co-founder): Guggenheim Fellow, USA Fellow, Doris Duke Artist, multilingual vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and dancer Jen Shyu is “one of the most creative vocalists in contemporary improvised music” (The Nation). Born in Peoria, Illinois, to Taiwanese and East Timorese immigrants and the first female and vocalist bandleader on Pi Recordings, she has produced eight albums and was named Rising Star Female Vocalist in 2017 by Downbeat Magazine. She has performed her work at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Theatre of Korea, Ringling Arts Festival, Ojai Festival, among others; and is a Fulbright scholar who speaks ten languages. Her first solo theatrical piece, Solo Rites: Seven Breaths, was directed by renowned Indonesian film and stage director Garin Nugroho. Her Song of Silver Geese was among The New York Times’ “Best Albums of 2017.” One of Ms. Shyu’s ongoing projects is a tour of her solo ZERO GRASSES (commissioned by John Zorn) across all 50 states. She is also a Paul Simon Music Fellows Guest Artist and a Steinway Artist. For more information, visit JenShyu.com.
–Sara Serpa bio (Co-founder): Lisbon, Portugal native Sara Serpa is a vocalist-composer and improviser who implements a unique instrumental approach to her vocal style. Recognized for her distinctive wordless singing, Serpa has been immersed in the field of jazz, improvised and experimental music since first arriving in New York in 2008. Described by the New York Times as “a singer of silvery poise and cosmopolitan outlook”, Serpa started her career with jazz luminaries such as Grammy-nominated pianist Danilo Perez, and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow pianist Ran Blake. As a leader, she has produced and released ten albums; the latest being Recognition, an interdisciplinary project that combines film with live music, in collaboration with Zeena Parkins, Mark Turner and David Virelles. Serpa was voted #1 Vocals of the Year by the 2020 NPR Jazz Critics Poll, Musician of the Year 2020 by Portuguese magazine Jazz.pt and Rising Star 2019 by the Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll. Serpa currently teaches at The New School, New Jersey City University and is Artist-In-Residence at Park Avenue Armory. For more information, visit SaraSerpa.com.