Residence New York Occupation Producer | Nationality United States | |
Roz Nixon is an American playwright and producer. She is the founder and executive producer of Roz Nixon Entertainment, which produces music festivals, concerts, and promotional events. A division of her organization books performers for television, commercial and film projects. Nixon has also written four plays, primarily featuring famous jazz musicians. She is the first producer/playwright to ever have a theatrical performance piece presented in a major jazz festival (Verizon Jazz Festival).
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Career
Nixon is the executive producer and founder of Great Women in Music, a month-long festival celebrating women in jazz, blues, and soul music. The initial Festival in 2001 featured Jazz legend Gloria Lynne, R&B Diva Alyson Williams and the Queen of Gospel Shirley Caesar. The festival has featured artists such as Carmen Lundy, Floetry, Lainie Kazan and Melba Moore, and accompanists like Cecil Bridgewater, Curtis Lundy and John Hicks.
A division of Roz Nixon Entertainment books and cast actors for film, television and commercials. Actors from Roz Nixon Entertainment can be found in such films as Unfaithful, The Devil Wears Prada, and Music and Lyrics as well as Heineken, Verizon and New York Knicks commercials.
As a playwright, Nixon has penned several plays including "Nothin' But The Blues", "Dedicated To Louis Armstrong", and the critically acclaimed "SS Nirvana": (A Story of Love & Jazz on the High Seas). which was presented at Birdland in New York City. The fantasy jazz musical takes place in "Madame Royale's Supper Club" on a cruise ship that features legendary jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, and Billy Eckstine.
2005 – JVC Jazz Festival, "Dedicated To Louis Armstrong," a biographical musical story dedicated to the life of Louis Armstrong using narration, song, and dance that chronicles his life. Performed at the Blue Note.
2000 – Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival – Nixon presented her work “To Louis Armstrong,” which she wrote and produced. As part of the Bell Atlantic Jazz Fest, it was performed in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. In New York City, it was performed at the Knitting Factory.
Nixon is also the author of a children's book about music titled Singin' Big Mae's Blues.
In 2008, after submitting an entertainment story to a local New York newspaper (regarding a social event she attended), Nixon was asked by the paper's editor (Kenton Kirby) to write a weekly article for Caribbean Life News covering New York City night life. Nixon continues to be a contributing writer for the paper. She has also served as a radio and television show host, and a panelist for music conferences and forums. She is noted as music historian of early period female blues musicians.