Holly Hoffman
RACE
Holly Hoffman explains how there are still strong issues about the African-American community and the White community with many African-American supporters following African-American jazz performers “because they feel it’s their music.”1 Also, Holly comments on the general jazz audience being mainly white and age 55 explaining that “this seems to be the demographic that has the money and the interest,” but that more young people as well as different ethnic groups are becoming interested in jazz festivals.2GENDER/ GENDER BIAS
Holly Hoffman learned more about gender bias in music—more specifically jazz—during her college years. While she was raised by her father to think that it did not matter if you were male or female or black or white as long as you were a talented musician, Holly realized at this time that this was not the case. She learned that your success had little to do with your talent. She adds that there was a group of male promoters who felt that “women don’t swing or really belong in the jazz idiom.”3INFLUENCE
Holly Hoffman is an American flutist who was introduced to music at an early age. Informal lessons started at age five with her father who was a jazz guitarist. By the age of seven, Holly could play the tunes of “Springtime” and Beautiful Springtime.” At age four, she began with a flutaphone moving to a flute at age five. While Holly is experienced both as a classical and jazz musician, the classical talent developed more with training whereas jazz evolved more naturally.4 Among her artistic influence Holly credits Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk.5Sample performance:
For full interview transcript, read the following:
1 For more on Holly Hoffman see, interview by Monk Rowe, Hamilton College Jazz Archive, February 13, 1998, lines 203-206, Transcript.
2 Interview, lines 469-472.
3 Interview, lines 189-194; 201-206.
4 Interview, lines 22-31; 41-53.
5 Interview, lines line 251.
