May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins Passes Away at 95
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
Donald Harrison is among the headliners at the Quantum Leap Music Festival, to be held Aug. 14–17 on Long Island.
(Photo: Faena)It’s festival season in the world of jazz, blues and beyond. And as updates come in to DownBeat, we’ll send them out to you. Here’s this week’s batch!
Donald Harrison’s Quantum Leap Music Festival
North Fork, Long Island, New York
Aug. 14–17
The Quantum Leap Music Festival has announced its full lineup with headliners Donald Harrison, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Leo Nocentelli of the Meters, The Preservation Hall Legacy Band, The Headhunters plus Cyril Neville, Zaccai Curtis and more. Go to nola2nofo.com for more info.
Englewood Jazz Festival
Hamilton Park, Chicago
Sept. 18–20
The Englewood Jazz Festival has announced that it will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Festival founder and saxophonist Ernest Dawkins will open the fest with a new work titled Great Black Music–Ancient To The Future. The piece is dedicated to the founders of the AACM. Go to englewoodjazzfestival.org for more info.
44th Annual Savannah Jazz Festival
Savannah, Georgia
Sept. 19–21
The Savannah Jazz Festival offers 15 free events including Spyro Gyra, Kirk Whalum, a celebration of James Moody’s centenniel, Anat Cohen, Jocelyn Gould, Rodney Jordan, Tony Monaco and more. Go to savannahjazz.org for more info.
Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey, California
Sept. 26–28
In addition to a killer lineup that includes Gregory Porter, Christian McBride & Ursa Major, Marcus Shelby, John & Gerald Clayton, Dianne Reeves, Ledisi, Mr. Sipp, Keyon Harrold, Delfeayo Marsalis, Cory Wong and more, the fest has announced a special collaboration whereby SFJAZZ will sponsor acts in the Pacific Jazz Café. Acts include Benny Green, Sullivan Fortner, New Jazz Underground, Tyreek McDole, Brandon Woody, Caity Gyorgy, Christian Sands, Camille Thurman & Darrell Green and more. Go to montereyjazz.org for more info.
Jazz@ThePoint
Somers Point, New Jersey
Oct. 16–18
Hosted by the South Jersey Jazz Society, Jazz@ThePoint will highlight artists from the Garden State under this year’s banner of “Jersey Fresh.” Performers include John Pizzarelli, Howard Paul, Michael Pedicin, Paul Jost and Matt Cappy. Go to southjerseyjazz.org for more info. DB
Onstage, Rollins would move about restlessly, thrusting his tenor sax in the air as he blew.
May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
To the world, James Blood Ulmer was a legend, a visionary and a musical force whose sound was distinctive and unique. To his family, he was their teacher, their storyteller and a source of strength.
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How best to mark Miles Davis’ centennial? By allowing the stories to flow, and cross-discussions to happen.
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Clockwise from top left, Mary Halvorson, Patricia Brennan, Adam O’Farrill, Keith Jarrett’s At the Deer Head Inn: The Complete Recordings, Sheila Jordan and Jaki Byard.
Jul 16, 2026 1:34 PM
The DownBeat Critics Poll never ceases to amaze! And the 74th Edition offered plenty of accolades for poll veterans and…
Ibrahim was an early jazz acolyte, studying the music via 78s he would buy from soldiers stationed in South Africa — who also gave him the nickname “Dollar.”
Jun 30, 2026 3:19 PM
Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, the NEA Jazz Master from South Africa who helped fuse the folk music of his home country with…
