Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
In Memoriam: Al Foster, 1943–2025
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Drummer and jazz educator Charli Persip (1931–2020)
(Photo: GoFundMe)Drummer Charli Persip, who enjoyed a long career as a drummer and jazz educator, died Aug. 23 at the age of 91, according to WBGO.
Persip worked frequently in bop ensembles helmed by folks like Dizzy Gillespie and Lee Morgan, while also contributing to recordings by Ron Carter, Gil Evans, Benny Golson and Quincy Jones, among others. The drummer also led a big band, Supersound, and taught at The New School in New York City. He authored How Not to Play the Drums: Not for Drummers Only.
In July 2018, friends and supports set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Persip’s medical expenses. Among those who contributed was drummer Eliot Zigmund, who wrote in a 2019 post: “Charlie’s a national hero and an important link to the golden age of jazz in America.”
Charles Lawrence Persip was born in Morristown, New Jersey, on July 26, 1929. On many albums, his first name is spelled Charlie, but he later changed the spelling to Charli. DB
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…
Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.
Jun 3, 2025 10:31 AM
The time and labor required to tour is, for many musicians, daunting at best and prohibitive at worst. It’s hardly…
To record Dream Manifest (Dom Recs), Croker convened artists from his current and recent past ensembles, plus special guests.
Jun 10, 2025 4:13 PM
Partway through his early set at Smoke Jazz Club, Theo Croker blinks the room back into focus. He leans over the piano.…
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”
Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
