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…
The Monterey Jazz Festival has announced a nationwide, 54-date tour of the Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Band. The band features Terence Blanchard on trumpet, James Moody on saxophone, musical director Benny Green on piano, Derrick Hodge on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums. Vocalist Nnenna Freelon will also be a member of the group as they embark on tour starting in January.
“We wanted to create a lasting legacy for our 50th anniversary,” said Monterey Jazz Festival General Manager Tim Jackson. “To kick it off, we’ve assembled some of the masters of jazz who have a close relationship with the Festival to carry the MJF name across America.”
The MJF Band will begin its 10-week tour in the Pacific Northwest in Bellingham, Wash., on Jan. 8. They will appear at major performing arts organizations around the county concluding with a concert March 16 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
More info: montereyjazzfestival.org
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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The first wave of artists scheduled to perform at the 2026 DC JazzFest have been announced. This year’s headliners…
