177 – Isabelle De Leon: The DC Scene, A Journey Into and Out of Jazz, Gender Politics in Music

Isabelle De Leon grew up in the Washington, DC area in a musical family. Her father instilled a love of music in all his daughters and for awhile, Isabelle and her siblings comprised the band Ivy Rose, which made an appearance on America’s Got Talent. She attended The University of Maryland where she delved into jazz for the first time, gravitating to the playing and energy of Tony Williams and his most famous protege, Cindy Blackman. Although she began her freshman year with no jazz training or knowledge whatsoever, she quickly rose through the ranks of the jazz department, and earned a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies. Her main gigs currently are with two synth-pop bands, Prinze George and Paperwhite, and with the DC-base funk/soul band Lionize. She also hosts a Sunday jam session at Pearl Street Warehouse in the popular District Wharf area of Washington.

In this podcast, Isabelle talks about:

* Her recent performance with an all-female drumline for “A Capitol Fourth“

* Ivy Rose’s appearance on America’s Got Talent, and the difficult criticisms that came from it

* DC’s music scene, “a working musician’s city,” and its musical identity and history from punk to go-go

* The central part music played in her family and Filipino culture

* Being the only female in a college jazz department, and the only one with no jazz training

* Finding her passion for jazz through passion for specific players

* The male-derived climate that women in music must negotiate, regardless of whether or not they are explicitly victimized

* Different musical circles’ attitudes towards women and competition