Princess J

“Princess J”, accomplished bassist and band director of otherwise all-male jazz bands during Chicago’s roaring 1920s, was just Great Aunt Thelma to me. I couldn’t be sure of her fascinating tales, but the Internet records her lively memories in jazz history writing, photographs, and recordings. She also gave me fantastic costumes from her band-leader wardrobe, most of them shredding with age.

Thelma “Terry” Combes, the jazz princess, was way ahead her time in breaking the boundaries of female accomplishment. She was also a top-level knitter. As an old woman she taught me to break the rules of standard patterns and make more interesting and higher quality work; an example for my current art making.