“LadyMo”

LadyMo 2nd to the right

LadyMo 2nd to the right

Edna Monifa Willekes-King “LadyMo” 

 

In 1984, local Curacao born jazz artist, saxophonist, John James Willekes, Jr., arrived to Curacao with his family, Mrs. Edna Monifa Willekes-King, and stepdaughter, Kaia Willekes, to began a new life in Curacao, after re-locating from Brooklyn, New York. In 1992, they happily welcomed a son, John-Malcolm Jabari Willekes. The Willekes family wasted no time to integrate themselves into the community by offering their respective artistic talents island wide.

 

John James, actually positioned himself as a band leader and a front runner, in the new jazz movement of the mid 80s in Curacao. Over the next 10 years “JJ COOL” would successfully expose and helped to elevate jazz music, making the word “jazz” a household name, and keeping jazz music “Alive and well” in Curacao today in 2022.

Who is Edna Monifa Willekes “LadyMo?”

 

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Edna is a child of the Civil Rights Movement of the South. Her father, the late. Gospel singer, Rev. Floyd King, her older brothers and sisters all participated in the civil rights movement of the960s. as youth activist who also marched along side with their friends, together with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Jessie Jackson and Angela Davis, just to name a few, an effort to bring social change in discrimination, and education in Birmingham. In 1964, one of her older sister, Carolyn, became the 1st Black student in their community who integrated as a “Lone Integrator” in an “All White” middle class school in their community, where Edna would also graduate from. 

 

EDUCATION:

 

  • Powderly Elementary School
  • Wenonah High School
  • Jones Valley High School, (graduated 1967)

 

COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY:

 

  • Stillman Colleg: Tuscaloosa, Alabama,                                                         Sociology/Psychology major 2 yrs.
  • Fashion Institute of Technology: New York City.                                                                       Interior Design Major. Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree.  Graduated May, 1982.
  • Brooklyn Business School: Brooklyn, NY. 

Marketing & business Management Courses (6-months classes.)

  • EAST Cultural Center, Brooklyn, NY.                                   

Painting classes by artist, Jim Dyson.     

  

As a resident of New York, the “Art capital of the world” she was exposed to a wide range of art and music in the big apple, receiving profound knowledge in African Art and design. In addition to becoming a college graduate in Interior Design and a “Single parent” as a hobby she also liked, wall painting, fashion design and making jewelry, decorating however was her most important craft. It was in New York, that she would eventually meet and marry her prince charming, jazz saxophonist, John James Willekes, Jr. In 1984 they relocate to Curacao as a dynamic team who would make history here on the Island, and the rest is history.                                                                

 

PRESENT: Co-founder, President DOJACMC FOUNDATION

 

  • Native of: Birmingham, Alabama, USA.                                                     (Child of the Civil Rights Movement) 
  • Wife of the late, Jazz saxophonist from Curacao: John James Willekes,Jr. “JJ COOL”. Mother of 2.
  • Associated with Curacao since 1984.

 

PROFESSION: CONCEPTUAL DESIGNER.

 

Design Background includes:

 

  • Conceptual Designer: Film, Set & Stage Design, T-shirts, and hand crafts and Event Organizer.
  • Winner Karnaval T-shirt design 1985.
  • Set designer for Tele-Curacao Music program “Punch”.
  • Stage designer for plays and productions @ Centro Pro Arte.
  • Designed & owned the 1st African Arts Novelties Shop in Curacao in the Waterfort Arches 1989-92,called “The African Queen”.
  • 1987: Production Set designer for ODDSSEY d’Amor, Pim de la Para Film.
  • 1986: organized the 1st Jazz Lecture and Jazz Concert @UOC with performance by John James Willekes & the Jazz Ensemble. Jazz lecture by LadyMo.
  • 1st Curacao Jazz Foundation-1988: Support member assisting the foundation creators; Rob deLanoy, Jacque Royer and her husband, the late jazz saxophonist, John James Willekes, Jr, “JJ COOL”.
  • Concept designer: Pizazz/Nubia nite Club in Punda.
  • BAND MGR: Organized Heineken Jazz Mite in Park Wilhelmina featuring JJW and his band.

 

  • Concept designer for the Creative Sound Music School in Zeelandia. Owner/ DrectorJohn James Willekes, Jr.
  • Concept designer for the Andruw Jones “YAMBO SLAM” collectos item CD, which was produced by JJW & Orrin Nahr, 1996.  The lyrics to Yambo Slam by LadyMo.

 

  • SYROS ECLIPSE-130 in Curacao:                                                                                   Organized the Jazzy Eclipse Concert the Night of the Total Solar Eclipse on Brionplein, in Otrobanda on February 26th, 1998, featuring JJW & The Curacao jazz Ensemble and  a host of artist. 

 

2014: RETURNING TO CURACAO

 

  • BAND MGR: for JJ COOL 2014-2019
  • 2015: DOJACMC JAZZ Foundation: Founded by JJW & LadyMo.                           DEVELOPMENT OF JAZZ & CREATIVE MUSIC CURACAO.
  • 3LC“Look, Listen & Learn” free jazz concerts for children & youth
  • 2016: UoC: Organized the 2nd Jazz lecture & Concert at the university featuring JJ COOL & the Ensemble. Jazz Lecture by LadyMo.
  • 2016-2019: Organized Jazz Concerts during Punda Vibes, Parks, Malls, Nite Clubs and in Community Centers in 7 Buers Centrums.
  • 2016: Organized a special jazz concert salute to the 1st Miss Curacao, 2nd Runner-up in the Miss Universe Pageant,1968, Anne Marie Braafheit. Music by JJ COOL and the Ensemble.
  • 2016: Concept designer for the Curacao Jazz Legends Postal Stamp, in honor of JJW.
  • 2018: organized the 1st Inter-active Jazz Concert for children@ the Curacao Children’s Museum. Featuring JJ COOL & the Ensemble.
  • 2017-2019: Organized free Jazz Concerts on Plaza JoJo Correa, during DMO ”Punda Vibes” featuring JJ COOL & The Ensemble.
  • JOHN’s last public was at “Punda Vibes” concert. Plaza Jojo Correa, on:                         November 28th, 2019.

 

NOTE: 

JOHN JAMES WILLEKES, JR “JJ COOL” passed away on: December 26th, 2019.                                                                                                                                                        

We now continue his legacy! 

  • 2021-BNK: Virtual Jazz Appreciation Day, April 30th, 2021 (On-going).
  • 2021-NATIONAAL ARCHIEF: JJ’s LIFE MATTERED EXHIBITION                                                                  w/ Lectures & Concerts until October 31st, 2021.   
  • 2021-Nationaal Archief: 3LC Youth Jazz Concert “3LC Look, Listen & Learn”
  • 2021- UoC: Unsung Legends Jazz & Lecture Series & Concert.

   

LadyMo was the Conceptual designer for:

VIRTUAL JAZZ APPRECIATION DAY IN CURACAO, which was launched ON THE Website of BNK on; 30th April, 2021 for INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY.

Over 35 Curacao artist, locally and internationally participated.

LINK:

  • Biblioteka Nashonal Korsou # JJ COOL WALL.
  • Jazz Virtual live Activity with Curacao Jazz Artist.
  • BNK: Who is LadyMo

Additional info on Edna Monifa & JohnJames is available on:  Youtube, Facebook, UoC Library Archives, Archivo Nashonal.