May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins Passes Away at 95
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
Cecil Taylor (1929–2018)
(Photo: Carol Friedman/DownBeat Archives)Avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor has died at the age of 89, according to NPR.
Taylor, a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, who was described by the organization as “one of the most uncompromisingly gifted pianists in jazz history, utilizing a nearly overwhelming orchestral facility on the piano,” reportedly died at his home in Brooklyn on Thursday. He was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame via the 1975 DownBeat Critics Poll.
Leading groups beginning in the late 1950s—and frequently accompanied by bassist Buell Neidlinger, who died March 16—he slashed through the established language of jazz, pushing the music to a tipping point with albums like 1966’s Unit Structures. He continued playing and recording into the 2010s, and inarguably influenced a raft of top-tier contemporary pianists.
A full obituary will be posted to the DownBeat website in the coming days. DB
Onstage, Rollins would move about restlessly, thrusting his tenor sax in the air as he blew.
May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
Cécile McLorin Salvant busts out Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Murder Ballad” at Big Ears, here with pianist Sullivan Fortner.
Apr 7, 2026 1:21 PM
There’s pluralism, then there’s PLURALISM! — and then there’s Big Ears. Thurston Moore, who participated in…
“We thought it’s important that Ronin has a new statement,” said Nik Bärtsch of his band’s latest album, Spin. “The sound is differently produced, so it reflects more of who we are.”
Apr 21, 2026 10:00 AM
Nik Bärtsch cuts an imposing figure on stage. He’s unmistakable with his soul patch, shaven head and black attire.…
Dave King (left) and Reid Anderson offer insights into why The Bad Plus’ chemistry was cool, the accomplishments many and its longevity so fruitful.
May 12, 2026 11:42 AM
The scene still sticks with me. I had heard the oddball name of this new group being dropped around town, and…
Ava Preston, a 12-time DownBeat Student Music Award winner, is currently pursuing her master’s degree in jazz voice at Juilliard.
May 12, 2026 10:00 AM
Ava Preston, from Cleveland, Ohio, was named the winner of the ninth annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition on…
