Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
In Memoriam: Cassandra Wilson, 1955–2026
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute has opened submissions for its second annual Bridges competition.
The David Baker Prize, named for the first RSMI jazz director, includes three $2,500 awards, as well as a chance to premiere the winning composition during Ravinia’s 2019 season.
The competition, open to composers between the ages of 18 and 30, is seeking original compositions, about 10 minutes in length, scored for string quartet (two violins, viola, and cello) and jazz rhythm section (piano, bass, drums). An additional melodic instrument can be added, but is not required.
“We were so impressed by the quality of all the submissions,” pianist Billy Childs, one of last year’s judges, said about previous entries.
Winners of the competition’s first installment were Sam Blakeslee, of Columbus, Ohio; Zach Bornheimer of Tampa, Florida; and Gene Knific of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Each winner received a prize of $2,500, and the works were given their world premieres in Ravinia’s Martin Theatre on June 9.
Deadline for entries is Feb. 1. For full submissions guidelines, visit the Ravinia website. DB
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
“The love from the jazz and music community restored my faith in humanity,” Walia wrote in an online post upon his release from detention at an ICE facility.
Aug 18, 2026 2:15 PM
Indian jazz guitarist and composer Pritesh Walia has been released after being unexpectedly detained by ICE and taken…
Bertoncini was a specialist and advocate for the nylon-string acoustic guitar, turning down high-profile opportunities that were unsuited to the sound and techniques that he used with that instrument.
Sep 1, 2026 11:06 AM
Gene Bertoncini, an esteemed jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator, died Aug. 29 at the Lillian Booth Actors…
A solo concert by saxophonist Joshua Redman will close the first night of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival on Sept. 26.
Sep 22, 2026 12:26 PM
The Hyde Park Jazz Festival will take place for the 20th time on the final weekend of September 2026. Beginning half…
“It was just that suddenly … I could hear it,” Ravi Coltrane said of an epiphany he experienced during his late teens regarding his father’s music. “And it was almost like a calling, like something saying, ‘Hey, man, come on. It’s time to get serious.’ And the first time you really tune in and dial in and focus like that, it can be very life-changing.”
Sep 22, 2026 1:39 PM
Editor’s Note: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In honor of the tenor and…
