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…
Clint Eastwood is the executive producer of Bruce Ricker’s documentary about jazz legend Dave Brubeck.
“Dave Brubeck is an American legend,” Eastwood said. “He is an American original who continues to make significant contributions to music, introduced a whole new generation to the world of jazz, and continues to explore the international language of music.”
Ricker’s film traces the journey of the development of Brubeck’s latest work, the “Cannery Row Suite,” from the moment it was first commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival to its premiere at the festival in 2006. Eastwood’s film crews captured early rehearsals, dress rehearsals, sound checks and the final performance. The film also chronicles other major milestones in Brubeck’s career.
Ricker’s other film credits include Thelonious Monk, Straight No Chaser and The Last of the Blue Devils. He and Eastwood are currently making a documentary about Tony Bennett, The Music Never Ends.
Along with producing the film, Eastwood is also chairing a new honorary board formed at the University of Pacific’s Brubeck Institute to preserve and continue Brubeck’s work. Other board members include trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis, film director George Lucas, recording artist Al Jarreau, record producer Quincy Jones, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, television and recording producer Larry Rosen, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, and trumpeter and record producer Herb Alpert, among others.
For more information, visit: www.pacific.edu/conservatory
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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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As emcee Mark Ruffin noted at the commencement of an epic tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins at the Cathedral of…
