Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
In Memoriam: Cassandra Wilson, 1955–2026
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Christian McBride’s “The Movement Revisited,” a tribute to four civil rights icons, will debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on May 16. The performance concludes the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s 2007/2008 jazz series.
McBride composed the music for “The Movement Revisited,” which features a 17-piece big band, spoken narrators and the St. James Sacred Nation Choir. Loretta Devine narrates the words of Rosa Parks, Carl Lumbly narrates the words of Malcolm X, James Avery narrates the words of Muhammad Ali and Wendell Pierce narrates the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The sacrifices made by these four African Americans have been so enveloped in myth, that, to a large extent, their names are remembered more than their accomplishments,” McBride said. “This piece will capture musically how their deeds shaped our world, and remind us of our responsibility to see, paving theway for so many to live a better life.”
More info: laphil.org
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Bertoncini was a specialist and advocate for the nylon-string acoustic guitar, turning down high-profile opportunities that were unsuited to the sound and techniques that he used with that instrument.
Sep 1, 2026 11:06 AM
Gene Bertoncini, an esteemed jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator, died Aug. 29 at the Lillian Booth Actors…
A solo concert by saxophonist Joshua Redman will close the first night of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival on Sept. 26.
Sep 22, 2026 12:26 PM
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival will take place for the 20th time on the final weekend of September 2026. Beginning half…
“It was just that suddenly … I could hear it,” Ravi Coltrane said of an epiphany he experienced during his late teens regarding his father’s music. “And it was almost like a calling, like something saying, ‘Hey, man, come on. It’s time to get serious.’ And the first time you really tune in and dial in and focus like that, it can be very life-changing.”
Sep 22, 2026 1:39 PM
Editor’s Note: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In honor of the tenor and…
Camille Thurman took to the stage alongside bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Tommy Campbell for a rendition of Johnny Mercer’s “I’m An Old Cowhand” that recalled Rollins’ epochal 1957 trio outing Way Out West.
Oct 6, 2026 1:33 PM
As emcee Mark Ruffin noted at the commencement of an epic tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins at the Cathedral of…
