“These photos were taken by Jamie Davis on Friday, November 2, 2018 at the premiere of the Culture Club: A SLAM Soirée. This vintage space sits above a microbiology lab on 729 S. Western Avenue in Chicago tucked between the Medical Disctrict and Little Italy. It was the first SLAM (Science, Literature, Art, Music) event of many to come. Microbiologist Dr. Riaz Haque and musical artist/author Jade Maze will contiue to invite artists, musicians, authors, scientists and entertainers from near and far to join forces for evening soirées that will enrich your life and inspire your spirit.”
Meet Jade Maze
Jade is a singer, composer, and educator in Chicago. In her early years she toured internationally as an original soul/jazz artist and earned her MM in classical vocal performance from Northwestern University in 2008. She teaches at the Merit School of Music, as well as Ravinia Festival. Maze received the 2016 Clementine Skinner award for her contributions as a singer/educator to the black music culture in Chicago. She placed 2nd in the Royal Dragonfly Book Award in the New Author Category, November 28, 2018. And her debut memoir Walk Until Sunrise took first place in the Golden Aster Book World Literary Prize (Rome), November 10, 2018.
Q+A
Who helped get you here?
Joyce M. King (she’s like a mom to me), Bill Sumner, Hiroshi Suzuki, Franklin Vanderbilt, Tariqh Akoni, Elizabeth Simpson, Edith Gwinn Smith, Kathy Dos Santos, Shawn Mahoney, Eric Hamilton, William Owens, Holly Tempo, Curtis Dickson, Kelly Laber, Susan Farber, Dr. and Nelly Haque, Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, and God.
What’s the best advice you have ever given?
Pay attention!
Tell us about your creative process.
Everything comes out of silence for me. I cannot write music at the piano. I have to be still for both music and prose to come out of the pen.
Tell us about a time you surprised yourself.
When an ex-boyfriend came out of the shadows as I came home from work one night. He was trying to intimidate me and put his hands on me to shove me, I suddenly had the strength of Wonder Woman and literally picked him up and shoved him over the fence. He called 10-minutes later from the emergency room saying he was going to sue me for harming him. Hahahahahahaha! I begged him to call the police and explain what he was doing in my yard.
What do you wish you had more time for?
Writing (music and books) and practicing piano.
Want more? Buy her book. Visit her website. Follow her on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter.
Photo Credit: Jamie Kelter Davis Photography