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…
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones kicked off a 34-date US tour on Jan. 13 with a performance in their hometown of Nashville. The tour will include three New York stops, including an April 20 performance at The Jammy Awards (an award they are nominated for) in Madison Square Garden, another the following day at B.B. King’s Blues Club and a gig at Irving Plaza. The band will be performing songs from their upcoming album The Hidden Land, which will be released Feb. 14 on Columbia Records.
The Fleck-produced album whose title, according to Fleck, refers to “a hidden land out there, a territory where people push the boundaries of music,” marks the return of the four core Flecktones. The band includes Fleck, bassist Victor Wooten, percussionist Future Man and saxophonist Jeff Coffin. “We wanted everything to be playable live,” said Béla. “Every instrument is us, everything is something we can do on-stage.”
For a complete list of tour dates, visit or www.flecktones.com. More dates are expected to follow in late spring and summer.
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…
