Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
In Memoriam: James Blood Ulmer, 1940–2026
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir (above) will collaborate with JFA Music Director Steve Jordan at this year’s “A Great Night in Harlem” gala concert.
(Photo: Courtesy Bob Weir)The Jazz Foundation of America will present its annual “A Great Night in Harlem” gala concert on March 28 at the Apollo Theater, featuring a night of jazz, blues, rock and more. Proceeds from the event benefit the JFA’s life-saving programs, which provide housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief, meaningful work and direct financial support to musicians and their families in times of crisis.
The evening will feature a collaboration between Bobby Weir (founding member of the Grateful Dead, Dead & Company and Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros) and JFA Musical Director Steve Jordan. Additionally, there will be a performance by the pioneers of Afrofuturism, the Sun Ra Arkestra, directed by 99-year-old Marshall Allen.
The gala will also feature a Max Roach Centennial Tribute led by trumpeter/composer Charles Tolliver and featuring fellow all-stars Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Harper, George Cables and Rufus Reid. The segment will include three masters of the drums — Al Foster, Billy Hart and Louis Hayes — who will be honored as Titans of Jazz.
The night will culminate with a special honor presented to business icon and JFA Chairman Emeritus Richard D. Parsons with JFA’s Dr. Billy Taylor Humanitarian Award for his leadership and service to JFA and musicians nationwide. This presentation will mark a leadership transition at JFA, with longtime JFA President Jarrett Lilien (WisdomTree) assuming the role of chairman following Parsons’ 15-year tenure, and dedicated board member Dr. Daveed D. Frazier becoming the president of JFA’s board of directors.
To buy tickets, purchase benefit packages or make a donation, click HERE. DB
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,…
A drummer’s drummer, Rodney Holmes gigged with everyone from Joe Zawinul and Carlos Santana to Steve Kimock and the Brecker Brothers.
Jul 22, 2026 12:37 PM
Drummer Rodney Holmes, a powerful presence behind the kit who emerged as an in-demand player on the New York scene…
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.
Jul 16, 2026 1:34 PM
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.”
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…
Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet will record live at New York’s Village Vanguard for ECM records on Aug. 26–27.
Jul 22, 2026 12:46 PM
One of Joe Lovano’s buzz terms is “the moment of now” and with seemingly infinite patience — despite a schedule…
