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…
Jimmy Greene will perform at the Litchfield Jazz Festival, which takes place Aug. 6–7 in Goshen, Connecticut. Greene’s 2014 CD is titlted Beautiful Life.
(Photo: Courtesy of the artist)Saxophonists Jimmy Greene, Donald Harrison, Don Braden and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath are among the headliners scheduled to perform at the Litchfield Jazz Festival, which will take place at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Goshen, Connecticut, Aug. 6–7.
This year’s edition will be dedicated to bassist Mario Pavone, a founding member of the fest and an advocate for jazz education in the community. He will open the festival with a performance with tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby and a quartet led by baritone saxophonist Andrew Hadro on the festival’s Main Stage on Aug. 6.
A key theme of this year’s festival is “Generations of Jazz,” with a roster that pairs up-and-coming musicians with veteran artists. Pianist Emmet Cohen will appear with Heath on Aug. 7, vocalist Nicole Zuraitis will appear alongside guitarist Dave Stryker on Aug. 6, and saxophonist Albert Rivera will join guitarist Paul Bollenback for a concert on Aug. 6.
The Curtis Brothers—bassist Luques and pianist Zaccai—will join Harrison on Aug. 7. Pianist Orrin Evans will perform with bassist Daryl Johns, the youngest headliner ever to appear at Litchfield, on Aug. 6.
This year’s programming also celebrates 20 years of instruction from the festival’s educational program, the Litchfield Jazz Camp. In recognition of this milestone, the Student Stage roster will feature young musicians who have participated in the camp in previous years performing alongside their mentors.
Each summer, the Litchfield Jazz Festival hosts clinics and artist lectures by festival headliners as part of its annual Artist Talks series, and this year’s events will be hosted by DownBeat Publisher Frank Alkyer. Artist Talks are open to festival ticket holders and Litchfield Jazz Campers free of charge.
For more information, visit the Litchfield Jazz Festival website.
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…
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