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…
Jon Hendricks (left) will be on hand at St. Peter’s Church to witness the world premiere of his vocalese re-scoring of music from the 1957 LP Miles Ahead on Feb. 17 in New York.
(Photo: Courtesy of the artist)Almost 50 years in the making, Jon Hendricks’ vocalese re-scoring of Miles Ahead, the seminal Miles Davis/Gil Evans album from 1957, will receive its global premiere in New York on Feb. 17.
With Hendricks, considered by some to be the Godfather of vocalese, on hand to witness the historic event, Miles Ahead will be performed by the London Vocal Project (a 20-piece choir plus rhythm section) and a handful of special guest soloists at St. Peter’s Church (619 Lexington Ave. in Manhattan).
Hendricks, who rose to prominence as part of the legendary vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, started work on his vocalese rendition of Miles Ahead nearly five decades ago, initially as response to the wave of popularity that greeted the widely acclaimed LH&R album Sing A Song Of Basie, a recording that helped define the sound of vocalese, or the art of writing lyrics to existing instrumental solos.
It wasn’t until 2012, however, that Hendricks began to collaborate closely with London Vocal Project director Pete Churchill who, with the support of the choir, will help bring Hendricks’ artistic vision to life. Every note of both Davis’ solos and Evans’ arrangement has been re-scored for voices with Hendricks’ lyrics.
The world premiere of the material was made possible with help of Quincy Jones, a longtime friend of Hendricks, and also through the support of the Jazz Foundation of America.
Looking ahead, LVP will return to the studio to put the finishing touches on a recording of Hendricks’ Miles Ahead. The album will be due for release later this year.
A European premiere performance has been scheduled in London for May 21. DB
Venue: Saint Peter’s Church,
619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, New York, NY 10022
Date & timings: Friday 17th February 2017, 7.00pm (doors open at 6.30pm)
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.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
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.
May 26, 2026 10:40 AM
Editor’s Note: The iconic trumpeter, composer and bandleader Miles Davis would have turned 100 today (May 26, 2026).…
“I wanted to get into the real feeling,” Melissa Aldana says of studying the work of singers from Cuba’s filin tradition in preparation for her collaboration with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
May 19, 2026 11:46 AM
Melissa Aldana is an investigator. She’s not comfortable resting on what she knows, instead seeking to learn more 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…
