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…
Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) in New York will kick off its 2007-‘08 season in October with the “Benny Carter Centennial,” a series of concerts and lectures honoring the late alto saxophonist.
Mel Martin and the Benny Carter Centennial Band will get the event started with an Oct. 15 performance at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Concerts by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will follow Oct. 19 and 20 at Rose Theater. The band will perform Carter’s music, and the events will feature guest hosts Brian Williams of “NBC Nightly News” (Oct. 19) and former New York Giants running back and “Today Show” correspondent Tiki Barber (Oct. 20). Lectures by Ed Berger, Carter’s former producer and road manager, will precede both concerts.
In addition, Carter will be inducted into Lincoln Center’s Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. Videos and photos of the saxophonist will be on display in the Atrium on Oct. 19 and 20.
Benny Carter was a pioneering alto sax player, known for his sweet tone and swinging style. He was an early arranger for Duke Ellington, and led a successful career performing jazz and composing TV and film scores for decades.
For more details, visit jalc.org/concerts/jlco.html.
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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