In 1998, Joan Cartwright worked with the Levi Henry Scholarship fund to produce Gaiafest that featured artists from California, New York and Florida, including Donice Rufus (center, with flute) who passed away on Sunday, January 23, 2011. R.I.P.  

Originally from Cleveland, OH, Donice Rufus came onto the jazz scene in South Florida, when she worked with John Davis & Company at Mistral's on Fort Lauderdale Beach. A graduate of Bethune Cookman College and Ohio State University in Music Education, Donice raised her family, while working as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University and Florida Memorial College, where she taught Applied Music, woodwinds, piano and saxophone. Donice was a composer and her originals include Cafe Mistral, A Song For You, Goodbye and Mr. Groove.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc. is going into it's 4th year. In the past three years, we've impacted our community greatly by bringing music performances by women and men to seniors, students and the community-at-large, through grants from Broward County Cultural Division, the Cities of Fort Lauderdale and Lauderhill and the School Board.

Joan Cartwright, Executive Director
Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc.
954-740-3398 | info@wijsf.org