We recently connected with Senabella Gill and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Senabella, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
In 2024 as I complete my first book entitled; Finding Jazz, I came to realize my journey was a marker to purpose by it’s own making. The need to not only survive as a Jazzist, but to also understand what that meant, provided me with a plethora of living classes and circumstances that made me aware that it had purpose and somehow I too was discovering and learning how to be of purpose within it’s purpose. I then went on to build and create platforms for Jazz and the artists like myself, who needed it, and that expansion formed self awareness to fulfilling the need for the music.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I formed Bronzeville Diva as a curiosity to discover the former women who sang jazz in Chicago early 10920, 30’s. I was told by a Chicago Jazz icon Malachi Thompson that I was a Bronzeville Diva. However, I could to find anyone who had been called that nor on Google for reference. But, my auntie and another older mentor share with me that Ella, Billie, Dorothy, Dinah and Lena, would come to Chicago and stay down there on the low end of Bronzeville and sing in churches and on weekends on soap boxes in Jew Town. I quickly asked Malachi for permission house the moniker and he gave it to me. I then began to produce Bronzeville Diva with other notable Chicago Jazz vocalists in venues in and around Bronzeville. The shows sold out and I had to hurry up and learn how to brand, market, sale and keep up with it’s growing interest created by the moniker. In 2013 I trademarked it and had by then was working in the schools through an organization formed by Malachi Thomason on the West side of Chicago, where I was teaching jas=zz to young children and producing a series of musical events. One was “The Young Bronzeville Divas’ dressed in gowns, feathers and their mama’s shoes and clothing. It would been of many youth insured productions I would do going forward. Newspaper, Radio, TV and such picked up what Was doing and helped in aiding the expansion of Bronzeville Diva. Today, I have produced numerous products under that title. As a featured Artist in Residence at North Eastern University at the Carruthers Center iwhere I did voice overs from the bios of artists of every music genre who cam into Chicago 1900-1930’s and numerous showcases with The Great Black Music Project Under Godfrey Mason who formed it. This institution is in Bronzeville. I was invited to do my production work in 2011 -2024 at The Illinois Institute of Technology Community Affairs Office. I currently have a yearly production under Bronzeville Diva entitled “The Chicago Living Legacies” where I honor those in music and other artistic genres who create a path forward for others. CLL is in its third year. Young Diva Young Divo, an operatic revue of music telling the story of Professor Timuel D. Black, Written ad scored by my contemporary; Robert Irving III – formerly nine year MD/Arranger with Miles Davis. Together we provided training, and storytelling performed by youth ages 14-23, with an ensemble of seven vocalist as well as a thirteen youth orchestra performing to SRO crowds on show dates. Presently we are collaborating to place it back on stage with a new ensemble as the others have gone on to college. And finally, I will share The Wildflower Music Festival, an event curated on the grounds in it’s second year at IIT Student Center that takes place June 22, 2024. I have today three albums “If You Ask Me Too, Love Is, The Art of Protest” and working to complete the fourth. These non for profit productions are self financed or thru grants and sponsors funding – to date. I have received recognition awards as the; “Best New Jazz Artist – Kenny Webb 106.7 KISS FM New York Radio, Women in Jazz – Walden Foundation, Music Humanitarian Award- Rappin Tate Award, The Susan Pritzker After School Award, The Lifetime Achievement Award, Africa US Today Magazine, Best Female Artist Road Trip Magazine, and The Queens Award during the Joe Biden presidential Awards Ceremony in Chicago 2024. As a former professional model Was featured at New York Fashion Week NYT Page 6, in Ebony, Essence and numerous newspapers including the Chicago Defender, Chicago SunTimes and the Tribune as Senabella Gill or under the Moniker of The Bronzeville Diva.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Don’t think about what you haven’t got, the money, the needs and the people will follow your bread crumbs as you continue to litter every path you have been on with your brand. Eventually, the rooms will be full and the illumination of your life, purpose and love will be clear. Money is only a holding card but your fulfillment will be in knowing you didi your work and it was respected and heard by those you wanted to heart…the people.
Take a break but never give up! Be kind and forgiving to yourself along the way. Know there is only one person who can do what you do, and make it as great a piece of work that can ever be known.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
The most important lesson I have learned and still am, is the value of who you collaborate with or take advice from, that will give you a hand to get up and move forward, or teach you a valuable lesson that will strengthen you. Today, more favorably, I seek financial assistance and collaboration to have more sustainability and expansion to deliver the creative works and to further build the brand.As I seek to exploit more of my intellectual works to provide further impact through music, storytelling as an author and theatrical written works or youth and adults.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: sena bronze diva -Senabella Gill
- Facebook: Senabella TheBronzeville Diva or Senabella Gill
- Linkedin: Bronzeville Diva, Senabella Gill
- Youtube: [email protected]
