Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
In Memoriam: Al Foster, 1943–2025
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Pianist Marian McPartland isn’t slowing down for her 90th birthday March 20. Instead, she has a new disc, Twilight World, due out March 11 on Concord and plans to play a series of concerts. She continues to tape her weekly radio show, Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz for NPR.
Twilight World, her first studio CD in nine years, features her regular Piano Jazz trio of bassist Gary Mazzaroppi and drummer Glenn Davis and includes some of her originals and a handful of tunes she has yet recorded in her nearly 100 sessions. McPartland includes two versions of compositions by Ornette Coleman. She also interprets tunes by her songwriter friends Alec Wilder (“Blackberry Winter”) and Burt Bacharach (“Alfie”).
“I’m so happy to have done this album,” she said. “It’s nice to have something you’re this happy with at this stage of life.”
During her birthday week (March 19–23), McPartland and her trio will perform at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York with special guests each night. These shows will be taped and highlights will be heard in a 90th birthday celebration edition of Piano Jazz. Among the artists paying tribute over the week’s shows will be Karrin Allison, Regina Carter, Jason Moran, Jeremy Pelt, Ken Peplowski, Chris Potter and others.
McPartland will again play Labor Day weekend at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. This year will find multiple guests paying tribute and collaborating with McPartland onstage in another birthday bash.
More info: concordmusicgroup.com
Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.
Jun 3, 2025 10:31 AM
The time and labor required to tour is, for many musicians, daunting at best and prohibitive at worst. It’s hardly…
To record Dream Manifest (Dom Recs), Croker convened artists from his current and recent past ensembles, plus special guests.
Jun 10, 2025 4:13 PM
Partway through his early set at Smoke Jazz Club, Theo Croker blinks the room back into focus. He leans over the piano.…
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”
Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
