Mar 18, 2025 3:00 PM
A Love Supreme at 60: Thoughts on Coltrane’s Masterwork
In his original liner notes to A Love Supreme, John Coltrane wrote: “Yes, it is true — ‘seek and ye shall…
Vincent Herring’s new album, Hard Times, is due out Nov. 3 on Smoke Sessions Records
(Photo: Jimmy Katz)With Hard Times, his third release for Smoke Sessions Records, master saxophonist Vincent Herring offers a musical response to our troubled political climate. Over the course of 11 songs, he and his band rely on the age-old structures of swing and blues to craft a modern message of healing and progress.
Due out Nov. 3, Hard Times finds Herring at the helm of a crack quartet, with pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Carl Allen. The saxophonist’s conception of the project evolved during a six-month residency at the jazz venue Smoke, in which he was joined by Nakamura and Allen.
The band is bolstered on roughly half the tracks by the horn section of trumpeter Brad Mason, saxophonist Sam Dillon and trombone virtuoso (and Smoke Sessions labelmate) Steve Turre. Guitarist Russell Malone appears on three tracks, while the rich baritone of vocalist Nicolas Bearde graces three tunes.
Herring had wide-ranging vision for Hard Times. “It’s the theme of the times that we’re going through,” he explained, pointing out that, at the time of this writing, the possibility of nuclear war loomed large in media discourse. “The obvious red elephant in the room would be politics. So it’s hard times not necessarily just from my vantage point, but from looking at world events. At the same time, I do realize how blessed and fortunate I am to be living the life I’m living. I have a lot of real fans that support me and a lot of great people in my life; I have wonderful kids. This album will hit people in different ways, but I offer it as an uplifting piece for the hard times in the universe.”
The album’s lead track, “Hard Work,” can be streamed below. It perfectly exemplifies Herring’s muscular yet agile tone, which is a thrill to listen to as it darts in and out of his bandmate’s steadfast accompaniment.
For more information on Smoke Sessions records, click here. DB
“This is one of the great gifts that Coltrane gave us — he gave us a key to the cosmos in this recording,” says John McLaughlin.
Mar 18, 2025 3:00 PM
In his original liner notes to A Love Supreme, John Coltrane wrote: “Yes, it is true — ‘seek and ye shall…
The Blue Note Jazz Festival New York kicks off May 27 with a James Moody 100th Birthday Celebration at Sony Hall.
Apr 8, 2025 1:23 PM
Blue Note Entertainment Group has unveiled the lineup for the 14th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival New York, featuring…
“I’m certainly influenced by Geri Allen,” said Iverson, during a live Blindfold Test at the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival.
Apr 15, 2025 11:44 AM
Between last Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Ethan Iverson performed as part of the 31st Umbria Jazz Winter festival in…
“At the end of the day, once you’ve run out of differences, we’re left with similarities,” Collier says. “Cultural differences are mitigated through 12 notes.”
Apr 15, 2025 11:55 AM
DownBeat has a long association with the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, the premiere…
“It kind of slows down, but it’s still kind of productive in a way, because you have something that you can be inspired by,” Andy Bey said on a 2019 episode of NPR Jazz Night in America, when he was 80. “The music is always inspiring.”
Apr 29, 2025 11:53 AM
Singer Andy Bey, who illuminated the jazz scene for five decades with a four-octave range that encompassed a bellowing…
