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…
Applications for the DCJazzPrix are open through March 3.
(Photo: Jati Lindsay)DCJazzPrix, the DC Jazz Festival’s annual band competition, now is accepting applications through March 8.
Previous winners of the prize include Cornerstore in 2018, the Amp Trio and Tahira Clayton in 2017, and the New Century Jazz Quintet in 2016. Applicants, who should be between the ages of 18 and 42, must adhere to certain stipulations, including being a part of an ensemble with two to nine members. The competition’s open to all instrumentation, but personnel in the ensemble must remain the same as what’s noted on the application, according to a press release from the festival.
A jury will select three finalists that will perform at a paid showcase during the 2019/2020 season at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The overall winner takes home a $15,000 cash prize, receives help with career planning and plays a paid gig on the main stage of the 2019 DC JazzFestival.
Finalists will be announced by April 1. For additional information and a full list of requirements, visit The DC Jazz Festival website. DB
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…
