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…
In Blue, Karrin Allyson’s follow up to her double Grammy-nominated Ballads—Remembering John Coltrane, debuted at No. 2 a week ago on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts, and has maintained that position for a second straight week. In Blue was released on August 13.
Known for her unparalleled ability to connect with her material and communicate that intimacy to her listeners, Allyson’s talent for capturing the emotional essence of whatever style of music she performs has earned her a place alongside the most notable female vocalists in jazz or any other genre. In Blue, her eighth release with Concord Records, is Allyson’s first album that focuses exclusively on the diverse sentiments that make up the blues and includes such tracks as “Moanin’,” “The Meaning Of The Blues,” “How Long Has This Been Going On?,” “Angel Eyes,” “Blue Motel Room” and “West Coast Blues.”
“When I first thought about doing a ‘blues album’ it was hard to describe to people,” recalls Allyson. “In specific musical terms, the blues have a ‘form’-whether it be the typical 12-bar blues, minor blues, blues with a bridge, etc. This album is not a ‘traditional blues album’ but rather, it’s a collection of tunes I love, that have to do with having the blues-no matter what the form.
“The Blues are…universal, it’s hard not to respond to them,” Allyson continues. “Some of these tunes allow me to express personal feelings not just about love or heartbreak, but also about social issues too. I also love humor, irony and the more than occasional ‘sassiness’ in music. The blues are a perfect vehicle for all these things.”
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…
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
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In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will be among the headliners at this year’s DC JazzFest.
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The first wave of artists scheduled to perform at the 2026 DC JazzFest have been announced. This year’s headliners…
“These days, with curated news, where people only get half the story, people can’t even speak to family members anymore,” Schneider laments.
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Maria Schneider is doing her part to try to fix what ails America. Which got her thinking about crows, specifically,…
Each of the 25 JAMs has delivered a poster featuring a jazz legend that is sent out to schools across the nation. This year’s poster features Tony Bennett.
Mar 30, 2026 10:20 PM
Every April for the past quarter century, something remarkable has happened across the United States and far beyond.…
