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…
The Concord Music Group released Tuesday the second part of its reissue series, Keepnews Collection, which spotlights classic albums originally produced by the legendary jazz producer Orrin Keepnews.
The collection, remastered in 24-bit from the original master tapes, spotlights pianist Bill Evans’ Everybody Digs Bill Evans (originally recorded on Riverside Records, 1958), trumpeter Chet Baker’s Chet (Riverside, 1958-1959), saxophonist Jimmy Heath Orchestra’s Really Big (Riverside, 1960), drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers’ Caravan (Riverside, 1962) and vocalist Flora Purim’s Butterfly Dreams (Milestone Records, 1973).
In his written introduction to the series, Keepnews notes, “Each [album] is of special importance to me—some because of the initial impact they made, others because they have particular personal meaning or may present a performer whose value has not been fully appreciated.”
Each reissue includes the original liner notes, as well as new commentaries from Keepnews. In addition, all the discs, with the exception of Purim’s, feature bonus tracks.
For more information, visit concordmusicgroup.com.
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,…
