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…
The French Quarter Festival will be back next spring.
(Photo: Zach Smith)On the heels of the cancellation of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the city’s French Quarter Festival has canceled, too.
Festival organizers made the announcement last week as COVID cases in the city and state continue to rise.
“As the state of Louisiana and our nation see a precipitous rise in COVID cases, we must put the health, safety and well-being of our entire community first — our fans, musicians, staff, volunteers, sponsors, as well as the residents and businesses in the French Quarter,” the press release stated. “It is with great sadness that we must cancel French Quarter Festival 2021, but we look forward to celebrating next spring as we return to the stage April 21–24, 2022.” 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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With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
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.
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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.”
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Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, the NEA Jazz Master from South Africa who helped fuse the folk music of his home country with…
