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…
Jon Batiste will perform at the Newport Jazz Festival on Aug. 5.
(Photo: Courtesy Newport Jazz Festival)The Newport Jazz Festival has announced the lineup of performers scheduled to appear at this year’s event, which takes place the weekend of Aug. 4–6 in Newport, Rhode Island.
Day one headliners include Kamasi Washington, DOMi & JD Beck, Lakecia Benjamin, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet and Soulive, among others.
Saturday, Aug. 5, will feature performances by Jon Batiste, Christian McBride, Charles Lloyd New Quartet, Julian Lage, Orrin Evans, James Brandon Lewis, Keyon Harrold and Superblue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter with Nate Smith & Huntertone Horns.
On Sunday, Aug. 6, Herbie Hancock takes the Newport Jazz Festival stage. Other Sunday performers include Diana Krall, Samara Joy, Bill Charlap Trio, Charles McPherson Quintet and A Moodswing Reunion: Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade.
More performers will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets, including multi-day passes and other cost-saving options, are currently on sale. Discount pricing is available for students. Check the festival’s website for lineup and schedule updates. DB
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.
Jun 9, 2026 10:54 AM
With deep sorrow and profound love, we announce the passing of James Blood Ulmer, a boldly innovative guitarist,…
How best to mark Miles Davis’ centennial? By allowing the stories to flow, and cross-discussions to happen.
May 26, 2026 10:40 AM
Editor’s Note: The iconic trumpeter, composer and bandleader Miles Davis would have turned 100 today (May 26, 2026).…
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…
