Mar 18, 2025 3:00 PM
A Love Supreme at 60: Thoughts on Coltrane’s Masterwork
In his original liner notes to A Love Supreme, John Coltrane wrote: “Yes, it is true — ‘seek and ye shall…
Frank Sinatra will be the subject of a new stage musical scheduled for release in 2018.
(Photo: DownBeat Archive)In 2015 music fans around the world celebrated Frank Sinatra’s centennial anniversary. To begin its second century, the legacy of Ol’ Blue Eyes is taking to the stage.
The Ambassador Theatre Group, a major international theater organization with headquarters in New York, London and other cities, has announced that it will produce a stage musical based on the life of the legendary vocalist and DownBeat Hall of Fame inductee, in partnership with Frank Sinatra Enterprises and British producer Stewart Till.
The show, which is planned to open in 2018, will feature a number of hit songs from Sinatra’s illustrious career. Script development for the Sinatra musical is planned to start shortly.
Adam Speers of Ambassador Theatre Group said, “Frank Sinatra was the greatest singer of the 20th century and one of the world’s most iconic show business legends. I’m delighted to be working in partnership with Stewart and Frank Sinatra Enterprises to bring his incredible journey to the stage.”
In a statement, Frank Sinatra Enterprises, a joint venture between the Sinatra family and Warner Music Group, added, “We’re delighted to be collaborating with Ambassador Theatre Group to produce the musical dramatization of Mr. Sinatra’s life and art. Frank Sinatra demonstrated a remarkable ability to appeal to every generation and continues to do so; he is timeless and his artistry continues to influence many of today’s music superstars.”
Throughout his career, Sinatra, who died in 1998 at age 82, performed on more than 1,400 recordings and was awarded numerous platinum, double platinum and triple platinum albums by the Recording Industry Associated of America.
Last year, Capitol Records released Ultimate Sinatra, a deluxe four-CD box set spanning over six decades of the singer’s recorded output.
“This is one of the great gifts that Coltrane gave us — he gave us a key to the cosmos in this recording,” says John McLaughlin.
Mar 18, 2025 3:00 PM
In his original liner notes to A Love Supreme, John Coltrane wrote: “Yes, it is true — ‘seek and ye shall…
The Blue Note Jazz Festival New York kicks off May 27 with a James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall.
Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
“I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen,” said Iverson, during a live Blindfold Test at the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival.
Apr 15, 2025 11:44 AM
Between last Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ethan Iverson performed as part of the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival in…
“At the end of the day, once you’ve run out of differences, we’re left with similarities,” Collier says. “Cultural differences are mitigated through 12 notes.”
Apr 15, 2025 11:55 AM
DownBeat has a long association with the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, the premiere…
“It kind of slows down, but it’s still kind of productive in a way, because you have something that you can be inspired by,” Andy Bey said on a 2019 episode of NPR Jazz Night in America, when he was 80. “The music is always inspiring.”
Apr 29, 2025 11:53 AM
Singer Andy Bey, who illuminated the jazz scene for five decades with a four-octave range that encompassed a bellowing…