Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
In Memoriam: Al Foster, 1943–2025
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Pianist Fred Hersch is using Patreon, a donation-based platform, to roll out a new concert series.
(Photo: Jim Wilkie)Pianist Fred Hersch has remained busy, despite the pandemic.
In March, he made sure fans knew The Ballad of Fred Hersch was streaming on Vimeo, even as he continued issuing digital singles and embarked on streaming performances via Facebook.
“The response to the livestream has been overwhelming and very touching,” he said in a press release. “I have gotten comments from around the world from thousands of people who tell me that tuning in brightens their day. But I, and all of my musician friends, have begun to realize that it may be up to a year or more before people are comfortable sitting in a jazz club or a concert hall.”
Now, Hersch is using Patreon to post weekly themed concerts, the first planned for May 11, which is set to focus on the work of Cole Porter. Subsequent iterations will include three-song sets drawn from the pianist’s 2001 Songs Without Words, the compositions of Thelonious Monk and Antônio Carlos Jobim, and songs with the word “spring” in the title. Membership, which is necessary to view the concerts, can be purchased for $5 or $20 and come with different perks.
Additional information can be found here. DB
Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.
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Partway through his early set at Smoke Jazz Club, Theo Croker blinks the room back into focus. He leans over the piano.…
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When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
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You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
