Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
In Memoriam: John Hammond Jr., 1942–2026
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
An auction house has announced the upcoming sale of several guitars from George Benson’s personal collection, as well as a trumpet played by Miles Davis. The auction will take place at Skinner’s Boston gallery Oct. 14.
Six guitars from Benson’s personal collection will be auctioned off, including three made by luthier Jimmy D’Aquisto, two of his treasured keepsakes and one he used on the popular album Breezin’ (Warner Bros.). They are valued between $7,500 and $70,000. In addition, more than 40 American vintage guitars will be up for sale—some valued as high as $30,000.
A custom-made Miles Davis trumpet will round out the auction. The engraved Martin instrument, valued between $25,000 and $35,000, was pictured on the 1970 album cover, A Tribute To Jack Johnson (Columbia).
Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will be among the headliners at this year’s DC JazzFest.
Mar 2, 2026 9:48 PM
The first wave of artists scheduled to perform at the 2026 DC JazzFest have been announced. This year’s headliners…
Blindfold Test proctor Ted Panken, left, with the Grammy-winning Nicole Zuraitis.
Feb 24, 2026 12:00 PM
After earning the 2024 Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy for her seventh album, How Love Begins (La Reserve), comprising 12…
“These days, with curated news, where people only get half the story, people can’t even speak to family members anymore,” Schneider laments.
Mar 10, 2026 1:43 PM
Maria Schneider is doing her part to try to fix what ails America. Which got her thinking about crows, specifically,…
