Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
Keeping the Flame at Van Gelder Studio
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…
Pianist Ramsey Lewis sets five streaming dates ahead of his 85th birthday.
(Photo: ramseylewis.com)Chicago-bred pianist Ramsey Lewis, who recently took to streaming in order to help raise funds for MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, is planning a series of remote live performances to mark his upcoming 85th birthday on May 27.
The monthly “Saturday Salon” streams are set to run at 1 p.m. CST May 30, June 27, July 25, Aug. 29 and Sept. 26. Viewing the 50-minute solo performances on the Stageit platform will cost $20. A portion of the funds raised from each stream will be donated to Jazz Foundation of America, according to a press release.
“I have played all over the world, but not really,” the NEA Jazz Master, who retired from the road in 2018, said in the release. “I’ve played most of the major cities, but not every city in between, and it’s exciting to know that this will be available to every person in the world. And that thought in my mind excites me and makes me want to perform again.” DB
Don and Maureen Sickler serve as the keepers of engineer Rudy Van Gelder’s flame at Van Gelder Studio, perhaps the most famous recording studio in jazz history.
Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…
Trio aRT with its avalanche of instrumentation: from left, Pheeroan akLaff, Scott Robinson and Julian Thayer.
Sep 3, 2025 12:03 PM
Trio aRT, a working unit since 1988, shockingly released its very first studio recording this summer. Recorded in…
“Think of all the creative people I’m going to meet and a whole other way of thinking about music and a challenge of singing completely different material than I would have sung otherwise to my highest level in dedication to the moment,” Elling says about his Broadway run.
Sep 9, 2025 1:18 PM
Kurt Elling was back at home in Chicago, grabbing some family time in a late-June window between gigs. Sporting a smile…
Jack DeJohnette boasted a musical resume that was as long as it was fearsome.
Oct 28, 2025 10:47 AM
Jack DeJohnette, a bold and resourceful drummer and NEA Jazz Master who forged a unique vocabulary on the kit over his…
Pat Metheny will perform with his Side-Eye III ensemble at Big Ears 2026 in Knoxville, Tennessee, next March.
Sep 9, 2025 12:19 PM
Big Ears has announced the lineup for its 2026 festival, which will take place March 26–29 and include 250…
