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…
Marsalis Music will provide May releases by two young jazz artists: Doug Wamble and Miguel Zenón.
Wamble’s Bluestate (available May 10) is the sophomore effort of the guitarist/vocalist/composer who the label introduced on the 2003 disc Country Libations. Featuring Wamble’s longstanding rhythm section of pianist Roy Dunlap, bassist Jeff Hanley and drummer Peter Miles, the new album documents the strides that the quartet have taken after months of touring and refining Wamble’s singular amalgam of jazz, blues, gospel and country music.
“Playing night after night focused us more in a jazz direction,” Wamble says, “but, in an odd way, it brought out the other eclectic stuff as well. The disparate elements are coming together in a more cohesive way.”
Alto saxophonist/composer Zenón is another musician not content to rest on his growing laurels. After releasing Ceremonial at the start of 2004, Zenón set to work on a set of new compositions inspired by music from the rural regions of his native Puerto Rico. The result is Jíbaro (available May 24), a collection of ten pieces which have earned rave reviews as Zenón has performed them with his quartet.
“When I started to work on my own music and to develop my own sounds, I looked into Puerto Rican music,” Zenon says, “and after immersing myself in bomba and plena, I pushed further and started to address Jíbaro. At the beginning I just wanted to learn about the music, but after I learned the rules and the forms, I heard that they allowed me to apply my own ideas.’
What has resulted is brilliant playing from Zenón and his bandmates pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Antonio Sánchez.
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.
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With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
Dave King (left) and Reid Anderson offer insights into why The Bad Plus’ chemistry was cool, the accomplishments many and its longevity so fruitful.
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The scene still sticks with me. I had heard the oddball name of this new group being dropped around town, and…
How best to mark Miles Davis’ centennial? By allowing the stories to flow, and cross-discussions to happen.
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Editor’s Note: The iconic trumpeter, composer and bandleader Miles Davis would have turned 100 today (May 26, 2026).…
Ava Preston, a 12-time DownBeat Student Music Award winner, is currently pursuing her master’s degree in jazz voice at Juilliard.
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Ava Preston, from Cleveland, Ohio, was named the winner of the ninth annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition on…
