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…
Legendary r&b singer Etta James has canceled a string of tour dates after suffering complications from a mid-June abdominal surgery, Reuters has reported. She remains in stable condition at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
James, 69, was “extremely disappointed” at having to cancel performances, said Lupe De Leon, her manager. “If it had been left solely up to her, she would have checked herself out of the hospital and started the tour regardless of her delicate health. However, her doctor advised that were she to do so, it would put her at very great risk.”
James was scheduled to join guitarist B.B. King and singer Al Green on a tour that began Tuesday, but her illness forced her to cancel dates up to Aug. 23, when she hopes to begin performing again. Vocalist Chaka Khan will substitute for James on most of the tour, with Susan Tedeschi stepping in at the JVC Jazz Festival-Newport.
James’ illustrious career has included hits “Something’s Got A Hold On Me,” “Trust In Me” and her trademark song, “At Last.” The three-time Grammy Award winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
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…
“The love from the jazz and music community restored my faith in humanity,” Walia wrote in an online post upon his release from detention at an ICE facility.
Aug 18, 2026 2:15 PM
Indian jazz guitarist and composer Pritesh Walia has been released after being unexpectedly detained by ICE and taken…
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…
