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…
From Feb. 22–27 at the Blue Note in New York, fans of jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri will be able to catch the last shows with his famed Latin jazz group La Perfecta II. After leading the band for 44 years, the pianist says this will be his last engagement with La Perfecta II. Palmieri will continue to perform around the world with his jazz and Latin-influenced music. Set times are 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 at tables and $20 at the bar.
The Harlem-born, seven-time Grammy winning Palmieri has been lauded as one of the foremost Latin pianists of the last half-century. In fact, this year marks his 50th anniversary in the music business. His ability to fuse the rhythms of his Hispanic heritage with straight-ahead jazz influences made him an immediate hit at the Palladium Ballroom in the ‘50s and ‘60s. He continued to offer up innovative music over the years, creating classic Tico albums and later mixing salsa with r&b, pop, rock, Spanish vocals and jazz improvisation.
Joining Palmieri in La Perfecta II are: Herman Olivera (vocals); Jose Clausell (timbales); Joe Santiago (bass); John Rodriguez (bongos); Little Johnny Rivero (congas); Nelson Gonzalez (tres/coro); Karen Joseph (flute); Doug Beavers (trombone); and William Alvarez (trombone).
For more details on the show, go to bluenotejazz.com.
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.”
Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
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.
Mar 2, 2026 9:48 PM
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.
Mar 10, 2026 1:43 PM
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.…
