The Hudson Valley Jazzwomen return to Orange Hall Gallery on Friday, March 28, 2025. The concert begins at 7:30pm. Admission is free.

The quartet this year is comprised of two originals and two newcomers. Drummer Kim Peralta is a founding member of Hudson Valley Jazzwomen. Pianist Megumi Kinoshita returns to play those black and white keys of the baby grand. The two newcomers are new only to the collective as they are seasoned jazz musicians. Windwoman Lois Hicks-Wozniak joins the group and brings her sax and flute. And bassist Jennifer Vincent rounds out the four.

Hudson Valley Jazzwomen, established in 2023, is a collective of women jazz artists appearing in combos and ensembles of varying sizes throughout the Hudson River Valley and beyond. The quartet will perform favorites from the American Songbook and popular jazz standards and show tunes, as well as highlighting a few pieces by female composers.

Kim Peralta plays in several venues in the New York-New Jersey region as a member of Hudson Valley Jazzwomen, Blue Hearts Jazz Group, and Unidos Latin Jazz Band. She is a life-long musician who began drumming in Cuba as a student of Alejandro Aguiar, from 2017 - 2020. From 2021 - 2024 she performed with the SUNY Orange Jazz Ensemble.

Besides teaching physics at SUNY Orange, classically-trained pianist Megumi Kinoshita joyfully plays in the SUNY Jazz Ensemble. In addition, she gigs around the Orange County area.

Lois Hicks-Wozniak - also known as the Saxophone Lady - plays her saxophone and flute up and down the Metropolitan area- Hudson Valley as the woodwind in the HWE! Trio and with her bass trombonist husband in The Plaustra-Wozniak Duo. She has performed and recorded with several orchestras and was principal saxophonist with the New Jersey Wind Symphony from 2005-2018. From 1996-2004 she served as a saxophonist with the United States Military Academy Band. Over the years, she has been the soloist with many orchestras. Presently, Hicks-Wozniak maintains an active schedule as a performer and clinician, appearing as guest soloist with high school, university, and community ensembles.                                                     

Jennifer Vincent has played several times at SUNY Orange as the bassist in the Willie Martinez y La Familia Sextet. She has played and toured with Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Son Sublime, the Xavier Cougat Orchestra, the Roberto Rodriguez Septet, Carmen Lundy, Harry Whitteaker, Jon Hendricks, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Classically-trained as a cellist at Oberlin Conservatory, All About Jazz states about her “Bass player Jennifer Vincent shows that she can stay with anyone when it comes to getting a bass to sing....." equally comfortable in the jazz, Latin-jazz, and traditional Cuban musical idioms. She also delves into music that utilizes West African, Japanese, and Middle Eastern influences. Jennifer Vincent is an active force on the NYC music scene.

Questions may be addressed to Cultural Affairs at cultural@sunyorange.edu. Check out the Cultural Affairs website at www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs.   

Free parking is available in lot #1 which is adjacent to Orange Hall and located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, (GPS: 24 Grandview Ave.) on the Middletown campus of SUNY Orange.