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 Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a Chicago-based trio known for its innovative musical approach consisting of a drum and two horns, celebrates its 25th anniversary with a tour by members Kahil El’ Zabar, Ernest Dawkins and Joseph Bowie.
Percussionist El’ Zabar has performed with musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Donny Hathaway, Henry Threadgill, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. Aside from leading the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, he also heads up the Ritual Trio featuring bassist Malachi Favors and saxophonist Ari Brown.
Saxophonist Dawkins is as well-known for his work as an educator and performer in the Chicago area. Leading the New Horizons Ensemble since 1978, he has collaborated with music greats, including Ramsey Lewis, Lester Bowie, Anthony Braxton and Jack McDuff.
Trombonist Joseph Bowie, younger brother of trumpeter Lester Bowie, was led to the EHE through his work with the band Defunkt. Bowie also tours and records with several European artists including the Vienna Arts Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra and the Sebastian Peikarek Quartet.
The tour dates are as follows:
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.”
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In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Lettuce, from left: Eric Coomes, Adam Deitch, Ryan Zoidis, Eric Bloom, Adam Smirnoff and Nigel Hall
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They were Berklee misfits. Neither jazzy enough for the straightahead crowd at Boston’s highly prestigious College of…
New Orleans Trad Jazz Camp
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Jazz camps have exploded around the globe as a summertime tradition for working on your chops and making new friends.…
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…
