Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Jazz Festival New York Posts 2025 Lineup
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
David “Fathead” Newman, who invented the image of a rough, bluesy Texas tenor player in jazz, died Jan. 20 near his home in Upstate New York following a long battle with cancer. He was 75.
Newman was born in Dallas on Feb. 24, 1933. In his teens he backed saxophonist Red Connors alongside Ornette Coleman. Shortly afterwards he worked in Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker’s barnstorming r&b bands. When Walker’s pianist, Ray Charles, left the group, he hired Newman on baritone in 1954. Newman returned to tenor and backed Brother Ray for the next 10 years—creading driving solos on the band’s classic Atlantic recordings. Other r&b stars in the Atlantic roster (notably Aretha Franklin and Dr. John) also relied on Newman’s hearty tone. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Newman also worked with King Curtis, Herbie Mann and Blue Mitchell. His own Atlantic albums at this time were often comprised of straightforward versions of pop hits. Throughout the years, Newman also played in crowd-pleasing duos with Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine. One of Newman’s best traditional jazz performances was his understated role on Junior Mance’s Truckin’ And Trackin’ session in 1983 (Bee Hive). Other dimensions to his work include his sensitive interpretations of Ellington on Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool (Kokopelli).
Recommended recordings: House Of David (Rhino); Still Hard Times (Muse). —Aaron Cohen
The Blue Note Jazz Festival New York kicks off May 27 with a James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall.
Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
“I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen,” said Iverson, during a live Blindfold Test at the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival.
Apr 15, 2025 11:44 AM
Between last Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ethan Iverson performed as part of the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival in…
“At the end of the day, once you’ve run out of differences, we’re left with similarities,” Collier says. “Cultural differences are mitigated through 12 notes.”
Apr 15, 2025 11:55 AM
DownBeat has a long association with the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, the premiere…
“It kind of slows down, but it’s still kind of productive in a way, because you have something that you can be inspired by,” Andy Bey said on a 2019 episode of NPR Jazz Night in America, when he was 80. “The music is always inspiring.”
Apr 29, 2025 11:53 AM
Singer Andy Bey, who illuminated the jazz scene for five decades with a four-octave range that encompassed a bellowing…
Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
