Crafting Melodies & Creating Change: My Journey as a Jazz Composer & Publisher

In this artist talk, award-winning jazz composer and co-founder/owner of Brava Jazz Publishing, Annie Booth, will share insights into her journey as both an artist and entrepreneur within the jazz world and beyond. Annie will showcase her music, including excerpts from her critically acclaimed chamber jazz suite Flowers of Evil and compositions for large jazz ensembles, highlighting the projects that have defined her distinguished career. She will also discuss Brava Jazz Publishing, a pioneering platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women composers and creating opportunities for their work to be performed, heard, and celebrated worldwide. Discover how Brava Jazz Publishing is reshaping the jazz landscape by expanding access to the innovative and diverse compositions of women at every level.

Bio:
Annie Booth is an award-winning composer, arranger, and jazz pianist, celebrated for her versatile work across genres. With recognition from Chamber Music America, ASCAP, Downbeat Magazine, the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers, and many others, her music has gained international acclaim. With compositions that range from small group jazz to orchestral works, she is frequently commissioned by internationally recognized performers and organizations. As a bandleader, Annie leads multiple ensembles, including the Annie Booth Trio, Sextet, and Big Band, and has released seven albums of original music and arrangements.

Annie has a broad background as a jazz educator, frequently directing All-State Jazz ensembles, adjudicating major jazz festivals, and serving as a guest artist-educator at university and high school jazz programs nationwide. For nearly a decade, she mentored young musicians through the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA), where she founded the SheBop Young Women in Jazz Workshop, an initiative designed to inspire and support young women in jazz. She currently serves on the faculty of the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music.

In 2023, Annie Booth co-founded Brava Jazz Publishing, a pioneering platform dedicated to supporting and distributing the works of women jazz composers and arrangers.